The kingdom of God is all about learning to not get our way.
We have largely failed to note this basic necessity.
Life is an opened can of troubles. Super-life is discipling our way through this maze in order to discover eternity in the very center of everything going on.
We live in an age of quitters. We quit churches, relationships, insurance companies, pulpits, New Year's resolutions, and most things that are difficult. Our grandparents and great-grandparents understood a concept we don't; hold on and hang in there.
To extend this dilemma, if we had the urge to get tougher, we aren't sure where to apply our newly directed energy.
We simply need to learn in all areas that struggle is a secret kingdom concept that does not create quitters. It trains us to keep on keeping on....it just keeps giving.
Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison...II Cor. 4:16-17.
Affliction does not snag and stop. It produces. Evaluate much of the work of the church to find that where it is not productive it is also not yielding to the blessings of conflict. The cross means the cross; not shelter from trouble.
I'm proud of what our youth minister, Trent Taylor, has begun with our teens as he takes them annually to a week-long camp to serve mentally handicapped adults. On their first encounter, all of our crew pleaded to go back home by the second day. By the third? They all begged to stay.
Affliction is a good thing and we---especially parents---try to avoid it.
Why would God speak so much about endurance? It is an essential kingdom element. We must have it or else we will shrivel and quit.
Struggle: it is the blessing that keeps on giving. If you are having a bad day today, enjoy it. It is loaded with kingdom nutrients.
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