Hope on the Muddy Road

In the process of cleaning up my e-mail account this afternoon, I ran across a folder with messages from my first trip to Uganda, Oct. 2006-March 2007. Wow, sure brought back a flood of memories. :)

The following excerpt is from one of my messages home, written after a particular difficult stretch of time. I wanted to share it because I need to be reminded daily of the hope that is ahead. I pray you are blessed and encouraged as well.

"Whatever suffering we do enter, it is only for a season. I have thought about that as I have squeezed into a crowded taxi, endured a cold shower or trudged down a very muddy road with a heavy backpack on my back – these discomforts last only for a time, They can be endured because I know they will not last – there are better things ahead. 

"So, it is with this life. Sometimes life can be uncomfortable, intolerable or even unbearable because of discomfort, suffering, pain and death. To put it simply, sin has contaminated our world and we suffer because of it. But with the Lord’s grace these things can be endured, because there are better things ahead. We have hope for a better, a heavenly future that has no sickness, pain or death. The hope on the horizon can give us the strength for today’s muddy road."

Whatever we pass through or "endure" in this life is truly temporary. It's good to remember that, especially on the muddy roads.

"For our light and momentary and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal." 

- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

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