Crepe Myrtle Years

(Read 2 Corinthians: 4)

We are taking a brief pause from Acts for a few weeks to learn from others’ faith stories. Acts has 28 chapters and we will continue to study it throughout the year.

I read a passage from 2 Corinthians 4 this morning that reminded me of a close friend who has just finished a horrific multi-year struggle. The connection was so strong and visible to me that I asked her if it would be OK to share her story.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
2 Corinthians 4: 7-9

My friend works for a large organization and two years ago failed to pass one of many job requirements. She had been with them for most of her adult life and was planning on her retirement to support her family. Due to that one time failure there were threats of termination and losing everything she worked for.

In Corinthians, Paul used well-known metaphors to convey human fragility. Vulnerable clay jars symbolize not only Paul, but us too. Only by God’s power are we prevented from being shattered. Paul writes that we are afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, but thanks to God, we are not crushed, we don’t despair, we are not abandoned or destroyed. Paul described himself as a man with a precious treasure within a fragile earthen vessel. The treasure is the gift from Christ’s glory.

My friend continued, “There were definitely roller coaster days.” Failure was a major trigger for her. Due to emotional abuse from her previous marriage, her soul was soon overpowered by her growing insecurities. The smaller she felt, the larger her impatience, resentment, and anger got. “After 10 years of dealing with this, I retook my power and gained my soul back slowly but steadily.” In the last years few years of her troubled marriage, she finally resorted to praying. She told me that she only really prayed when she was suffering and since God doesn’t always say yes or answer us right away, she felt her prayers went unanswered.

“I did not grow up with a foundation of faith. My mother was raised in a Catholic girls school environment and came out very cynical about religion.” She added, “I was that smart ass kid that snickered and rolled my eyes.” Eventually, after her marriage, she was healing. Her immediate issues were behind her and she was feeling better about things. Like most people, when things are going good, we stop seeking help.

Her career provided constant positive feedback. “From my days in college until 3 years ago, it fed my ego. I was top in my class, I was first pick for many things, and received excellent evaluation reports from everyone I worked for.” My friend was lifted up by temporary things. Things that won’t last. Things that can never satisfy.

“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.”
2 Corinthians 4: 10-11

If God is calling us, He knows our potential and knows how we’re going to turn out. He sees a beauty in us that no one else can see. “During a training trip, I met a guy who was on fire with his faith. One night, I was sobbing in my hotel room and my phone rang. It was my friend who told me, that told him that God wanted him to call me.” It was exactly what she needed to hear. “This was the first time I felt as though God was trying to let his presence be known to me.”

We are here for God’s pleasure and His glory. This treasure inside our thin exterior is begging for us to let it shine. Jesus’ death did not solidify our mortal bodies, but it gives us the chance to reflect, to reveal His grace. Eventually, my friend met a guy who matched her wishes and life goals line by line. More than any other man in her life, he listened. She described him as, “being grounded in his faith. God first. I thought to myself, God first? Uh oh. I was not that person.” At this time, she was attending a new church with a close friend and her boyfriend. Her worship life blossomed. “I was surrounded,” she exclaimed. “God had ambushed me. I surrender!”

Then, the bottom dropped out of her life, or so she thought. With the news the consequences of her negative evaluation, her doubt and fears of failure surfaced. “Some days I fully felt the despair and hopeless and fear and didn’t handle it very well.” The thought of losing her pension — a large chunk of their family’s financial stability was ominous to her. “I had to let it go and trust that His will would be done which didn’t mean I would like the outcome. It just meant I had to trust and move forward.”

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though 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. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-19

Our bodies won’t last. Since the fall of Adam, erosion is a part of human life. But God wired us with burning embers inside. We are programmed with hope. With each day, there is a new glimmer of promise of something good. My friend had to surrender completely. “I was too tired to fight, so I had no choice but let God have this battle.” She realized she was missing the point of truly letting go. Ultimately, our lives are destined by God’s will, not our own.

“The humiliation of it all was also a clear sign of pruning away some excess and unnecessary pride. I couldn’t handle the thought of failing one more big thing in my life, but now I realize I was the one defining failure.” Over time, she learned to view her challenges as God’s pruning, not punishment for wavering faith.

Less than a month ago, my friend learned that she won her appeal! Her submission to God’s will, for His glory didn’t resolve the problem. It did allow her to have some peace. Many in our Life Group prayed for her and with her. She declared to me that her husband (former boyfriend mentioned earlier) taught her to always thank God first. God deserved a lot more than just our gratitude. “I owe so much to my husband for being patient and allowing me to choose this journey for me and not for him.”

The beautiful, mainly southern, crepe myrtles are trees arrayed with long-lasting flowers that bloom in a multitude of colors. Their lilac, purple, pink, red, and white flowers need new wood to show their glory. They do best when pruned. My friend smiled and said, “Maybe I’ll call these past 2 years my ‘crepe myrtle’ years. Drastic Pruning!”

“Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
James 1:4-5

Key Applications:

1. In the first century AD, people would often hide their treasures in clay pots. They were cheap, fragile, and easily broken. Read 2 Corinthians 4. Pray for a minute and then answer this question: Where do we get our inner strength and power from?
2. When good things happen in our life, do we take credit? When bad things happen, do we blame God. These assumptions are both wrong. When good things happen, realize that they are a reflection of our Lord. Maybe then we will gain courage to admit our mistakes. Maybe then we can look to God to put us on the right path again.
3. This week, find someone in your life who has strong faith. Share your battle stories. Hold each other accountable to God’s goodness. Lift each other up as Jesus lifts us.

Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.