Something Strange is happening...or is it?

Today is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Despite the fact that I am physically struggling because of the fasting I am having to do for the colonoscopy that I have this afternoon...yay! Fun times. I have been up since 6:30 this morning because I had to finish the other half gallon of the ocean water they give you to clean you out. While I was waiting the 10 minutes between each glass, I was praying for everyone and everything that God laid on my heart. I don't consider myself to be a morning person at all,so I really have to access Jesus or I am in trouble!

1 Peter 4:12-13, " Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed."

This just cracks me up, maybe it's my exhaustion and lack of no food over the last couple of days but I love it. My favorite part of this verse is, " do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." Can't you just hear a snobby voice...as though something strange were happening...sheesh...come on, please what are you complaining about, didn't you know this was gonna happen. Come on, this is normal....rejoice for goodness sake for all the pain and suffering that you are going through because it is a privilege to suffer as Jesus did! LOL! Maybe it was written with this tone of voice and maybe it wasn't. But I get the point. It really is a privilege to go through what I am going through because I know that God is using it or maybe I should say me for His glory. That's the ultimate prize here on earth to me. God is using me, that's the reason He made me. Despite what the world throws my way, He is getting glory through it and in it.


Romans 8:28, " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

I really think that if we can get past the surprise and self-pity that suffering is a strange thing here on this earth, we will access God faster and get on with glorifying Him faster in our situations. We have been called and we need to let go and let God work for the good of us, because He loves us.

Romans 8:32, " He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all-how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things."

In other words, if God gave us His ultimate, His Son, then everything else that He has for us is a breeze for Him to offer us. Whatever we are going through, not only have we been redeemed from the curse of this world, we have God graciously giving us what we need to make it through. We can do this!