Pile of Hardships

~~~ 2 Corinthians 11:18, 21-30 ~~~ Psalm 34 ~~~ Matthew 6:19-23 ~~~

...store up treasures in heaven...

Whatever trials, tribulations or hardships

 we endure during our life they are not in vain.

Our suffering while here on earth 

is building up treasure for us in heaven.

Paul endured much suffering while

 he was ministering to the people.

He was tortured, imprisoned, beaten and starved

just to name a few of his hardships.

Paul never gave up he remained true to his calling...

he was resolved to do the will of God.

He believed that the reward for his faithfulness 

would come in the next life...

his life in heaven.

Consider this vision for a moment.

As you go through life with various hardships,

eventually many of them pass.

Suppose these difficulties where to be set in a pile?

Every time a hardship comes along 

I invite you to mentally put it

 into your personal 'pile of hardships'.

As time progresses some of your piles may be quite high.

Perhaps some are toppling off the sides

falling to the ground just to be noticed once again.

Some may be poking out the side of the pile.

...store up treasures in heaven... 

What if when we get to heaven, when our eyes are opened,

we discover that all of these things have been transformed.

What if what we believed to be hardships 

were actually turning to gold.

If we could only see the true beauty of our hardships

maybe we would not be so reluctant to accept them.

The treasures we store up in heaven 

are directly related to our life here on earth.

Whatever trials you are experiencing 

God will turn into gilded blessings.

There will be no more tears and suffering in heaven.

May God teach us to see our hardships

as building up our treasure in heaven.

~~~Peace~~~