Hard Times, Tender Hearts

Believers are more hard-pressed than ever. Not over any one issue, but on every front.

Paul describes it this way: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9)

Notice Paul didn’t say we feel hard-pressed. He said we are hard-pressed. And yet there’s immense hope. Because though we are perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, we are not crushed, in despair, forsaken, or destroyed.

The temptation is to harden our hearts when we’re hard-pressed. But we must do just the opposite—by allowing God to make our hearts tender in hard times. He gives us eyes to see the eternal more clearly than the temporary. From that sacred space, some of our most beautiful creations and offerings happen.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

This reading was crafted to encourage your pursuit of story and creativity with God. Your donation makes this crowd-funded initiative possible. You can support it via PAYPAL (or by check to Allen Arnold at PO Box 62841, Colorado Springs, CO 80962).

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