Control

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear.  (The servant's name was Malchus.)  So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"

--John 18:10-11

A lot of times in my life, I've thought, "Let me help you out God.  Let me do this."  ....like God really needs my help.  I, a human being, with finite knowledge and wisdom, so often think that I know what is best, when, in all actuality, only God knows.  I only know what I have gone through and what I am presently going through.  There is no way that I am able to truly figure out what is best for me and for the Kingdom.  My thinking would have been exactly like Peter's, just thinking of the immediate circumstances.  But God was thinking of eternity; if Jesus didn't die, then people would never be able to experience intimate fellowship with Him.  Similarly, in our lives, we only see the immediate, surrounding circumstances and desire to be brought out of them, when in reality, God may be doing great things in our hearts and in the kingdom through us, if only we'd relinquish control and willingly drink the cup that God has given to us.

Glorify

John 17:15--My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect him from the evil one.

Whenever I face difficulties, my prayer is almost always that God would take me home so that I wouldn't have to continue to face the struggle. What a selfish request that is! Why should my temporal sufferings be more important than the potential impending eternal suffering of people around me? I must endure here on earth so that more can know Jesus. Afterall, that is the reason I am here on earth, not to feel good, but to glorify God.

Jeremiah 34

In this chapter, God speaks to Jeremiah telling him to go to Zedekiah, King of Judah, and tell him that he will be captured by the king of Babylon.  However, even though that is to happen, God promises (Jeremiah 3:4-5): You will not die by the sword; you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire in honor of your fathers, the former kings who proceeded you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, “Alas, O master!"

It’s interesting because I think that in many of the prophets’ visions and even in our lives now, God tells us as it is—that we’ll face hardships and sufferings (like in John 16:33b—In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world.).  God tells us that it’s going to be hard.  However, He doesn’t just leave us there; He promises a coming victory.  He promises to come back and usher in a new time where there will be no more suffering or grief or tears or hardship.  It will be a time where see Him face to face and delight in His presence.  What’s great about this, especially when we face hardships, is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and we’ll reach it; we will see God.