Are you ready to fight?
The afflictions are many. Oppression hangs like a dark cloud over some of us, and waits in dark corners for others. If you think you're fine, don't fool yourself; we always fall somewhere in states of sleeping, fighting, or resting in victory.
{Judges 6-7}
The clay pot is noteworthy. From our Bible study this week, we learned that these vessels were... brittle. These intentionally devised 'weak' vessels held the soldiers' torches until it was time to strike or drop the pot. Upon breaking, the torch light was able to spill out, visible and fierce. Shining on strong, illuminating darkness.
The depth of this is simple.
We were made weak by God so that we would depend on Him for strength. We were made weak by God so that when He breaks us, it's His light that spills out of us. God made us brittle so that His light would shine through the cracks and missing shards. And He still equips us for the fight today with strong armor that won't fail {Ephesians 6:10-18}. He is still our advocate - in spite of our weaknesses.
{2 Corinthians 12:9-10}
Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. Since I know it is all for Christ’s good, I am quite happy about “the thorn,” and about insults and hardships, persecutions and difficulties; for when I am weak, then I am strong—the less I have, the more I depend on him.
From John 15, we see God as the Great Gardener. He cuts away what is not profitable, and cuts back others in order to yield "even larger crops". Whether we are cut off or cut back... we get cut.
Breaking... cutting... All action words. Inferring pain. {Profitable pain.}
I say profitable, because if everything is either God-arranged or God-allowed (Priscilla Shirer) and if Romans 8:28 is alive and at work in our lives, then this is all growing and working towards goodness and Christ-likeness. That's a promise.
{God is working out your circumstances. God is working through this trial. God is moving through this pain. Tell your soul to be still!}
As for oppression (or circumstances, or sin, trials... you fill it in, whatever you're up against...) that cause grief, pain, disappointment, and even loss... I liken this growing and pruning process as working through the five stages of grief. I'm in 'anger'. I'm angry at this rotted flesh that still has arrows sticking out of it {after all this time}, at the enemy for stealing my time, my peace, my joy, and for creating potential hardship on others. I'm angry with a righteous, hopefully holy anger, at my sin, at my weakness... {that I know He will be glorified in} cut open - cut back, being pruned by Holy shears, and fighting against darkness with a burning open flame amidst broken pot shards this time. I'm mid-battle, and by the grace of God I know now that strong armor and full dependence upon and obedience to our strong God makes all the difference.
Press on, friends. Maybe you're fighting to save your friendships. Your marriage. Your sanity. Maybe the cloud for you is depression or illness. Loneliness. Lostness. Don't give up! Keep running! Fiercely, with boldness... with passion... light spilling from every crack! Don't be lukewarm! Stay awake! Shine on! The victory has already been given into your hands.