What do we do when our wounds are exposed?

I can’t shake this question, twirling around my thoughts, dancing with my mind: If I were to take a spotlight and shine it over my life, would others see Jesus? Does my life reflect the glory of God? Do I live a life worthy of Gods Kingdom?

I wonder if you’ve ever asked yourselves these questions?

The thing about a spotlight is that it illuminates all our blemishes, it exposes all our wounds; like a magnifying glass that sits on our hearts, amplifying all the areas that are wicked and wayward.

My natural instinct would be to run from the spotlight in an attempt to hide all my imperfections. Yet, God calls us to live a life that glorifies Him; and to glorify means to magnify. To magnify the magnificent One. We do this by edifying the Lord, not just with our words and but with our ways too. Our lives needs to echo what we believe. So, how then does one walk in the ways of the Lord, without wavering.

You might say that’s quite an easy answer. And yet I pose another question: how then does one walk in the ways of the Lord, unflinchingly through the furnace of unfavourable suffering and misfortune.

How do we represent Jesus well, when our well-being is under attack? How do we live a life worthy of His Kingdom when our wounds are exposed to the dirt of difficulties. We know that the christian life is not void of affliction. Paul encourages us, in Thessalonians, to flourish in our faith, even in the face of suffering. So, I’ve come to the conclusion that we do this, we fight the good fight, while grappling with the world – suffering and hardships is part of the fallen world – and we remain faithful to the infallible Word.

Suffering isn’t a test from God to see who will prove perfect. Perfection is not an attainable goal, or an achievable grade. Perfection is not found this side of heaven. Perfection is an adjective that only describes Jesus. However, we have been chosen and created to be image-bearers of Christ on earth. In some ways, obstacles create opportunity and occasion to display the character of Jesus in us and through us.

I wonder, if trauma or tragedy struck, would we; in all our nakedness and vulnerability, still exemplify Jesus? Would we, at our worst moments, still walk in His ways? Would our lives still echo His name when the darkness of devastation creeps in, or when our hearts are deeply hurting, and life’s wounds weigh heavy on us. Would we be found kneeling down in prayer, or would we be found concealing our souls in an attempt to not further bruise our brokenness. I wonder.

I don’t say this light-heartedly or self-righteously. I’m no stranger to pain and heartache, worry and fear. Being naive to life’s hardships is not something that can be said of me, yet in the same breathe I recognize that there are some who have had to climb higher mountains and face darker valleys than I ever will. Still, I wonder, if in all circumstances we can live a life that oozes Jesus and glorifies His name in every circumstance – not void of calamity but consumed by it.

Paul encourages us to keep the faith, to run the race with perseverance, patience and persistence. When suffering saturates our lives, Paul encourages us to flourish in our faith that we might be found faithful.

Let’s grab hold of God and grapple life with Him. Persecution is not a result of Gods condemnation, rather, our courage results in God counting us worthy of His Kingdom.

2 Thessalonians 1:3-5 TPT

Your faith is growing marvelously beyond measure. The unselfish love each of you share for one another is increasing and overflowing! We point to you as an example of unwavering faith for all the churches of God. We boast about how you continue to demonstrate unflinching endurance through all the persecutions and painful trials you are experiencing. All of this proves that God’s judgment is always perfect and is intended to make you worthy of inheriting the kingdom of God.

Lord, may I be found worthy of your Kingdom in every area and season of my life. Lord, may I be found worthy in every position that you have placed me in. May I glorify you in my marriage, my mothering, the mundane and the misfortunes of life.