Light Affliction

My newest addiction is twitter.  You can find me on twitter at:  @waynes3girls.  It is the beauty of Facebook without the stupidity of games, worthless comments, etc. etc.  I follow our pastor Andy, and he just left a tweet that made me think.........

........If you are called you must answer the call. There is a one of a kind message Jesus wants to speak through you.  The walk will not be easy, but this small affliction is but for a moment....."

If it is true (and I believe based on Matt. 4:19 it is) that Christ has called every believer to follow Him, if it is true that He has designed a plan specifically for my life (and I believe based on Ephesians 2:10 He has) and  if it is true that every believer will suffer hardships ( and I believe we will based on I Peter 4:12) then God must have an answer for me when I feel discouraged.

He tells us "What you suffer now is just a momentary light affliction".  It doesn't feel light. It hurts. I am tired. Somedays I think I could just turn and walk away from it all.

But Christ tells me, "It's a small thing really". 

"Based on what?" I ask.  According to how it feels it seems very hard, very large.

"Based on what I have prepared for you." He answers.

"Did you forget that I have prepared a place that you, with your limited human mind, human eyes and ears, could never take in?  Why it would terrify you in it's splendor?"

So I hand him the momentary light affliction and ask Him if He would carry it for me.  He gently lifts it from my back and with the kind hand of a Father, places it on His shoulder.  He sees me bent low. He knows it's hard for me to see the ending as bright as it may be. He knows my legs ache from the race I'm running, so in His tenderness, He swings me up and carries me for a while. Until I'm stronger, Until I'm ready to run again.  Until I realize that the burden is a light affliction.

What do you carry that seems so heavy?  It's a light affliction..............