Outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17, NIV)
Once you have grasped how Psalm 122 relates to the story of Jesus and the story of the church, it will be very obvious how it relates to the story of your life.
If you are a believer, God’s presence is with you and in you. You bear the name of Christ. That is what it means to be a Christian. You bear the name of Christ in the world.
Some Christians have the idea that following Jesus means having a comfortable life. So when trouble comes, we quickly find ourselves saying, “Where is God in this?” But if you are a Christian, your life will be like the city of Jerusalem—uniquely blessed and uniquely troubled.
As a follower of Christ, you are contending with the world, the flesh, and the devil. You are living a life of faith in Christ, but you are living that life in the body and in this fallen world. Any dead fish can float down the river, but it takes life and energy to go against the stream!
Look at your life—you will see tragedy, conflict, sin, and death. There may be times when you look at your life and you say “Where is God in this?” Answer: He is right in the middle of it all.
He is redeeming you, reconciling you to himself, offering you hope, and leading you toward everlasting life. But in order to grasp that, you need to move from seeing to believing.
Where do you need help moving from seeing to believing?