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Valleys are Victory

"Lord, the one you love is sick."  When He heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death.  No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it. -John 11:4 

I've been wanting to write about this topic for many weeks, but just haven't quite gotten to it.  I felt it on my heart to share, but didn't exactly have the words to say until they came to me during my men's group session this week.  For a while you have heard me talk about the vertical relationship and the horizontal relationship.  The vertical is your relationship with God while the horizontal is your relationship with God's creation.  Visually, you need to think of the Cross.  When we are pursuing and in relationship with God, His being and His grace and glory is passed through you like a conduit into those around you.  What I want to talk about today is specifically how valleys are where you experience the most growth and where you can have the greatest impact amongst believers and non-believers.  

A great mentor/pastor/friend to me by the name of Mike has often times told me that God will break men greatly to use them greatly.  I believe so much in my heart that this is true.  If there is anything between you and God, rest assured that God will in fact move the barriers in your life that are blocking you from Him.  I have seen this personally and though difficult, it was and still is something that I am incredibly thankful for.    

In the scripture above, this is from the story of Lazarus.  Lazarus is about to die, and his sister is talking with Jesus.  Jesus assures her that this sickness will not end in death.....but wait, it did. Lazarus did in fact die.  If you were in the mindset that non-believers have, where your life isn't eternal, then yes Lazarus did die.  But to those who believe and know that Jesus is the one sent down from Heaven to save us, you'd know that Lazarus is simply being used by God to show His glory!  Lazarus is a true conduit.  Have you ever been through something that you felt was the end of you?  It was so terrible that you just didn't think you could make it through.  Did your friends and family also look at you from a distance and think "Wow, such and such has it real bad, I feel sorry for them."  We all have been through those times.  How much glory is God shown though when a person understands that valleys are where God's voice is heard the loudest?  How much glory is God shown when a person has every right to be in spite, be annoyed, be joyless, yet they are beaming with an indescribable peace?  

Many times in my life I can remember when I felt like I wasn't moving forward.  I wasn't getting anywhere with my job, or with a relationship, or better yet....I wasn't getting anywhere with myself.  God though was working through me in all of this.  Just because you aren't moving forward horizontally in the "world" doesn't mean you aren't improving vertically in the life that is eternal!  Many times the improvement of our vertical life (relationship with God) can have negative consequences on our horizontal life (relationship with people).  You are being tested!  You cannot become a proper conduit unless you have the ability to pass what is given to you.  If all of your wires were made of plastic in your house, I promise the electricity wouldn't work.  But because they are the proper material, the electricity is able to be distributed amongst all outlets.  

This week I'd really like for you to look at the two relationships you can have:  Your relationship with God, and your relationship with people.  Which one is more important to you?  Which one is more important to God?  Which one do you think will advance the Kingdom of Heaven?  Which one do you think with advance you?  

The fruit does not just appear, it comes from what is supplied through the vine.  Put Jesus first in your life and you will find that though you will have ups and downs, all of it will be for the Glory of God and there is nothing better than being a part of the glorification of Him.  This story of Lazarus is an example of the ultimate peace you should have in any circumstance because God is good and is an absolutely loving Father that wants the best for you!

Have a great week!

Cameron

Song of the Week: King of My Heart

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