AFFLICTIONS



These light and momentary afflictions

--Sorrows, losses, tears, addictions--

Are earning for us an eternal weight of glory

--Hold on darling, it's not the end of the story--



The path of the pilgrim is hard and long

Rocks and stones and demons strong

Narrow is the gate and difficult the way

The road winds upward day after day.



Always moving you travel on

Keep the faith your daily song

Through much tribulation the kingdom to gain

You cling to the King and His invisible reign.



Sojourner, alien, stranger in tents

No place to settle, no firm residence

The world dead to you, you dead to the world

Trading in all for one priceless Pearl.



Still filling up the afflictions of Christ

Whose sufferings paid fully the highest price

Looking up to the depth of Golgotha's pain

You find grace to carry your own cross again.



Do not be surprised at these fiery trials

One after the other for many long miles

Remember the martyrs and saints gone before

You also will make it to heaven's glad door.



Rapture or death--each one is a door

When He says 'It is finished' your last day is o'er

They are numbered--you cannot outlast your grace

Sufficient for every heartbreak you face.



The fire that is burning your soul does reveal

That His eyes of flame are upon you in zeal

Igniting all wood, hay and straw into smoke

Faithful His chastening, faithful His stroke.



Be cheered that He won't take His eyes off of you

Count it all joy when you weep as you do

The tears that you sow are all kept by Him

A crop they will grow--full to the brim.



The gifts of the Wise Men included myrrh

Your suffering is to Him a precious gift pure

He above all is familiar with grief

You'll have much in common when Him you meet.



When you follow Him you can't lose your way

His footprints are bloodstained, marking the way

Think of the crown you earn on this street

You'll want something of value to lay at His feet.



You don't have to like it nor fix it nor understand

You do have to trust under His mighty Hand

That when all is over, the final war won

You will not regret the work pain has done.

 

by Kristen Sykes

 

These thoughts were drawn from the following passages of Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18; Hebrews 11:39-40; Psalm 84:5-7; Matthew 7:13-14; 2 Timothy 4:7; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 11:13, 10; Hebrews 13:14; Galatians 6:14; Matthew 13:45-46; Colossians 1:24; Luke 14:27; 1 Peter 4:12; Hebrews 12:22-24; John 19:30; Psalm 139:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 1:14; 1 Corinthians 3:12-15; Hebrews 12:5-11; James 1:2-4; Psalm 126:5-6; Psalm 56:8; Mark 4:8; Matthew 2:11; Isaiah 53:3; Philippians 3:10; 1 Peter 2:21; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 4:10; Job 13:15; 1 Peter 1:6-9