Neither life...nor death...

"We are hard pressed on every side,

But not crushed;

Perplexed, but not in despair;

Persecuted, but not abandoned;

Struck down, but not destroyed.

We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus,

So that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake,

So that His life may be revealed in our mortal body."

2 Corinthians 4:7-11

This line spoke to me the most: always being given over to death.
LeAnna and I talked the night before last, AND last night. One thing she shared that really stood out to me was that so many people we know (including ourselves)--very particularly and specifically strong believers in Christ--are under great oppression of some kind. And not just little trials, big things that bring our soul a taste of death. Whether they be Suffering of Circumstances or Suffering of Self, or Suffering of Sacrifice...it seems everyone is faced with true pain of some kind, overwhelming us to the point of brokenness. All especially where the suffering isn't merited--in circumstances that haven't been brought on by bad choices or mistakes...they're simply valleys the Lord leads us through that ask greater things of us.
We're always being given over to death.
Paul could have made up a synopsis like this: Okay, to fair warn anyone interested in venturing through life with Jesus Christ, you will encounter valleys deep, dark, lonely, taxing, and utterly and completely unknown. But do not fear, the valleys don't hurt much and we get breaks in between.
But he didn't. He did say that we share in [Christ's] sufferings (Phil. 3:10), the sufferings of Christ flow into our lives (2 Cor. 1:5)...yet our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:17-18).

We're always being given over to death. I want to look up the Greek meaning to this particular "always"...does it mean momentarily? Permanently? Consistently?
For me, I glean from what it means in the general English...always. Daily, momentally....He's refining, working, challenging, and carrying us through the greater things. And discouragingly, because His work is so intricate, nothing can be noticed until we can see it in a bigger picture.

As I've made my way through the Old Testament, always being given over to death, is the life theme of so many honored people.
Abraham's most treasured possession was asked of him...after it was promised to him.
Jacob's entire lifetime's story was moving from one valley to the next valley.
Joseph--one suffering, one abandonment, one disappointed dream after another. But though he was pressed, persecuted, and struck down...."Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good." (Genesis 50:19-20)
And currently, Ruth and Hannah....both bearing the broken hearts of nothing "merited". One from loss of a loved one; the other from lack of one.

The beauty of these lives isn't beauty without the fires they were asked to pass through.
And who am I, that God would take the time to refine me? How is it that I have been counted worthy to refine? "Worthy" is a perfected state...so where is the sense in this oxymoron of refining it?
God's overwhelming, and humbling grace--if you can't see it my friend, think about the depths of the Cross. Think about your Sin Offering...and the love that He still chooses to perfect in you daily.

No, my sufferings aren't watered down by these thoughts. And the bitter taste of spiritual death makes me want to crawl away (spiritually) and let it run it's course. The days surely come where I barely have enough strength to lift my eyes to the hills.
I have to remember and cling to:
His love and goodness embrace both my pleasure and my pain. It doesn't magnify or eliminate...but embraces. Yes, He leads me through valleys--He doesn't send me through them. By leading, He is with me. "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death", the one we're always walking through, "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me."
My Immanuel, who stepped before the Altar of God to make blood atonement for the world...is with me, with as much love and understanding of suffering as if He is still being stripped of His flesh, and stripped of His Father's love.

Beloved of the Most High--this is why you and I joy in our sufferings: The life and glory of the Living God are being revealed in more powerful proportions than fiery evangelists, popular devotionals, and sermons from the pulpit. It's in your life, in the pain if not moreso than the victory, that Jesus Christ is being glorified.

Be encouraged by the Goodness that embraces your pleasure; the beautiful things that make life worth living.
AND be encouraged by the Goodness that embraces your pain; the beautiful things that make us reach for the greater things.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution...? As it is written: 'For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.' In these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that
neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers,
neither height nor depth,
not anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus."
--Romans 8:35-39--

That love that knows my suffering, that love that knows my pain; for His sake, we face death all day long. And it's more blessed for us, because we never, ever face it alone...and nothing can make it so.