DYING EVERY DAY

DYING EVERY DAY

II COR. 4:8-11 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Afflicted, persecuted, perplexed, and struck down; what a life. Paul described a Christian life that is quite different from what most of us are familiar with. He spoke of a dying to self that produced life and ministry to others. Dying to self is not one of the most popular topics in our ‘have it now’ culture, but it was a common theme in the teaching of Paul as well as in the teaching of Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus said that a man who seeks to save his life will lose it. He also said that if we lose our lives for His sake we will actually save it. Paul often spoke about dying daily. Could it be that the very thing we have tried our hardest to avoid is at the very heart of the thing we are actually after? We are all chasing happiness and fruitfulness, if we believe Jesus and Paul, rejoicing and productivity are actually connected to this dying thing.
There are four key words in today’s scripture; afflicted, perplexed, struck down, and persecution. Let’s take a quick peek at these words from Thayer’s word book.

AFFLICTED:
1) to press (as grapes), press hard upon
2) a compressed way
2a) narrow straitened, contracted
3) metaphorically to trouble, afflict, distress

PERPLEXED;
1) to be without resources, to be in straits, to be left wanting, to be embarrassed, to be in doubt, not to know which way to turn
2) to be at a loss with one’ s self, be in doubt
3) not to know how to decide or what to do, to be perplexed

PERSECUTED:
1) to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away
2) to run swiftly in order to catch a person or thing, to run after
2b) to pursue (in a hostile manner)
3) in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one
3a) to persecute
3b) to be mistreated, suffer persecution on account of something
4) without the idea of hostility, to run after, follow after: someone
5) metaphorically, to pursue

STRUCK DOWN:
1) to cast down
1a) to throw to the ground, prostate

So maybe your tough days are not as bad as you thought. What if Paul was right? He went on to say in this same letter that our momentary light affliction was producing an eternal weight of glory without comparison. That would mean that your worst days are actually doing two things. They are producing an awareness of God through you in this life and storing up an amazing treasure in heaven.