A little Piper

"Not only is all your affliction momentary, not only is all your affliction light in comparison to eternity and the glory there. But all of it is totally meaningful. Every millisecond of your pain, from the fallen nature or fallen man, every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that. I don’t care if it was cancer or criticism. I don’t care if it was slander or sickness. It wasn’t meaningless. It’s doing something! It’s not meaningless. Of course you can’t see what it’s doing. Don’t look to what is seen...don’t say, “That’s meaningless!” It’s not. It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory. Therefore, therefore, do not lose heart. But take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for." John Piper


I read this the other day and it really struck me. I feel like this year has been different than any other I've met yet. I can't even talk about all of the deaths and sadness I've seen kids I know dealing with and that I've experienced. There are no words to even say. But, for some reason when I read this yesterday it gave me a peace. The weird kind of peace. The supernatural kind of peace. The steadying peace. It gave me hope. It somehow validated my feelings. It made me think. If we have to experience pain, affliction and loss then I want it to mean something. I don't want it to be meaningless. I want the eternal weight of glory.  I want the HOPE.