And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you’ve come out of this with purity of heart. ~2 Corinthians 7:11 (MSG)
I love Paul in 2 Corinthians 7. I think the dude was feeling a slight case of writer’s guilt.
He’d already written one letter to those unruly Corinthians…a rather strongly worded missive. And in this chapter of his second letter, he acknowledges that as he wrote that first one, he felt “awful”–or so paraphrases Eugene Peterson in The Message.
But then Paul goes on to say he’s actually glad his first letter caused the Corinthians distress. Which, not going to lie, at first reading had me thinking “Huh, way to win friends, Big P.”
But I kept reading…and fell in love with verse 11.
Because Paul is soooo talking to me here. To all of us, I think. I can look back and think of dozens of little distresses and big that pushed me closer to God. I want to be all those things Paul mentioned:
More alive … concerned … sensitive … reverent … human … passionate … responsible.
And so often, it’s not the happy-go-lucky days which produce those qualities…but the growing times spurred on by distress. This verse in 2 Corinthians reminds me God is up to something in my heart during those times…often easy to see in hindsight. But I want to start seeing it in now-sight.
I want to see distress as opportunity. Opportunity to cling to the One who is bigger than my circumstances. Opportunity to thrive with life and sensitivity and passion in new ways than before.
How about you? Can you think of a time in your life when distress pushed you closer to God? How did you become more alive or concerned or sensitive, reverent or human or passionate or responsible?
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In every time of stress, I feel as though God is holding me in His hand, wrapping me in His love. And that memory is what gets me through the next stressful situation.
Love that, Pat!
I am here. And I continue to fight to do the right thing even though it gets really hard sometimes.
~ Wendy
Glad you’re fighting, not glad about it getting really hard at times. Praying you sense God’s closeness in an amazing way!
Distress always pushes me closer. I need some kind of anchor to keep me from floating away in a state of panic! I think during those times, I have had some of my most intense experiences with God and I wouldn’t go back and change any of it.
Yay for an anchor in the form of God!
I have never read that in the MSG version, I really, really love it. It completely sums up how I feel about distress–great adjective picks, Paul!:) And I love the whole “now-sight” point, Melissa. I’m working on that too, it sure is hard, but you’re right, each & every time distress brings some God-quality out in me that was lacking or so very weak before.
I love how The Message puts things in such a fresh way! I don’t always read it, but now and then it’s awesome for getting me to really *see* what I didn’t before.
Big P. *snicker*
But seriously, I’ve definitely seen that the hard times in my life were the ones when I moved closer to God…simply because I’d have drowned otherwise. I clung to Him because I saw my desperate, desperate need for Him. But I want to respond to Him like that always, distress or not.
Such a good point, Linds, about responding to God that way always, distress or not. I think in my low lows and high highs, that’s where I tend to reach out. But I want to lean on His nearness in everyday life, too!
I like the MSG version…a new way to look at it.
I usually grow closer in times of distress. I had one time when I sunk into a real depression and it was difficult to see/feel/hear God during that time. But I got through it and God is faithful!
Amen–He is faithful!
SO MANY, MANY, MANY times, Melissa!!
SUPER GREAT POST!! Thanks!
Thanks, Patti!
The timing of your topic / verse choice is amazing! I don’t always get over to your blog as often as I’d like but Beth shared it on FB and I caught it today. Yesterday I went in for an MRI on my knee and couldn’t go through with it. I’m clausterphobic and I panicked! Couldn’t breathe,tears streaming (quite embarrassing)- definite distress! I tried to pray my way through it, but my human emotions once again rose up and blocked me from feeling God’s calming hand on me. I’ve been praying a lot, last night and today. I have to try again on Mon. and I’m going to focus on letting God carry me through it. Thanks for the reminder that times of distress can be a blessing. Sometimes all you can see is the distress… but God is bigger, we just need to broaden our focus and see him surrounding us and our problem(s).
Oh, I’m so glad this post came at a good time. I’m so sorry about your claustrophobia. That must be seriously hard. I’ll be thinking of and praying for you on Monday. I’ll pray it just flies by and is over before you know it!
“I want to be all those things Paul mentioned: more alive … concerned … sensitive … reverent … human … passionate … responsible” – WOW, Melissa. Your beautiful words will resonate with me for a while to come. Don’t you just love Big P? My fave. Hugs!
I do love Paul! He’s so blunt sometimes! And I love that… 🙂 Hugs to you too! 🙂
Distress does push me closer to God. I love when I feel His presence in a storm. I am safe.
Awesome, Loree!
One thing I’ve always disliked is how easy it is for me to sail through life on my own when times are great, but when I come to a time of distress I turn more quickly to God. Why is that? In the good times I’m thankful and I praise Him, but I don’t seek Him like I do in the bad times. I want to seek Him always – no matter what is going on. I think maybe it’s that His strength is shown most in our weakness. We don’t realize we need Him until we NEED Him. I’m so thankful He’s ready and willing all the time.
I hear ya! I, too, am thankful He’s always ready and willing even when my focus is off.