Momentary Afflictions

Wesley's diagnosis can at times be a heavy weight on my heart. When I think of what it will mean for him to live his entire life with a disability, it is difficult not to grieve.

But, God's word offers a different perspective on Wesley's life. In 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, it says "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal".

When I look at Wesley's life in light of these verses, I am filled with hope. In light of all eternity, his time here on earth is so short, and his disability is only a light and momentary affliction. If he trusts in Jesus as His Savior, he will be able to look back over his life here on earth and say that God used this trial in his life to prepare him for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

To paraphrase John Piper, "God cares about Wesley's body - big time. He simply didn’t come to fix all that in this age. He cares 10 million times more about Wesley’s soul and about his everlasting life and about the resurrection from the dead on the last day, when Wesley’s body will rise and be made new and He will wipe away every tear from Wesley’s eyes and death will be no more. Neither will there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more for the former things will have passed away. Oh, God cares about crying; He cares about tears; He cares about Wesley’s chromosomal abnormality. He cares about these things."

"But, He cares 10 million times more about what becomes of Wesley forever. We just have to keep these things balanced right. Wesley’s eternity is 10 million times more important than whether or not he gets well now. What matters is that Wesley gets well eventually and that he stays well forever, satisfied not mainly by God’s gifts but by Himself. “This is eternal life, that they might know you, the only God and the One that you have sent.” Oh, He cares, but in a certain order, both in priority and in time. He will make Wesley well, oh yes He will, in due time, if Wesley trusts in Him."

Lord, I pray that you will save my precious son Wesley, and that one day his tears will be wiped away as he sees you and worships you face to face.