Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad. (1 Peter 4:12, 13)
We were newly married, and evening shadows met across the slopes where Dani and I backpacked in the San Gorgonio Wilderness of California. We arrived at the backcountry camp, tired, but spirited by the pine scented air. A quick dinner over a Primus stove left just enough time to string a rope through our plastic tube tent before the rain fell.
The next morning our gear was wet, but then the sun made a few surprise appearances. Mist rode through the fir trees like a child sledding into the rounded valley. I could scarcely hike a hundred feet before stopping, over and over, to photograph rainbows set against hunter-green forests.
It didn’t matter to us that we had slept on the ground, eaten dehydrated soup, and steamed through damp clothes the next day, the backpacking trip exceeded our expectations.
Expectations define satisfaction. If a hotel tried to offer the conditions we enjoyed while backpacking, I’d be irate and demand my money back.
I need to adjust my ambitions to the reality of my current situation. I’m a spiritual soldier in a war zone, behind enemy lines, with a mission to infiltrate and liberate. Now is not the time to seek a soft living. Today I’ll encounter the groans of nature, attacks from demons, and friends broken in grief. It won't be easy going.
The glorious appearing of Christ will come soon. So I need to adjust my expectations, and lay hold of spoils before I’m withdrawn home. Because how I spend my remaining hours of deployment is critical.
Prayer: Mighty Warrior Jesus, let me expect nothing but a glorious fight today.