From Tears to Triumph: The Price of True Victory
Jeremiah 41:6a
And Ishmael the son of Nethania went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went…
Victory isn’t always sweet, because war is never pretty! Here, although Ishmael had risen against his enemies and slain them, yet the Bible says that he was “weeping all along as he went”. Many are the bitter-sweet experiences that we have throughout our journey with the Lord this side of Heaven. Many are the personal battles that, though won with great victory, will yet lead us down a trail of tears.
There are many things that we weep for. Some weep for those who were not as fortunate as they. Some weep for the changing landscape that the war left behind. Some weep for the friends that were lost due to the war. Some, if for nothing else, weep only for their wounds. Regardless of the reasons, we often find ourselves weeping at times that we should be rejoicing.
The reason is simple; true victory does not come without a price. I’m concerned that many of us do not consider the spoils of war to be worth the pain we must go through to get there. However, we must realize this truth; we still have a cross to bear.
Many of us forget about the life that can be found just past the cross! The Bible says of Christ in Heb. 12:2b, “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross….” Jesus wasn’t just looking TO the cross; He was looking THROUGH the cross! He knew that Resurrection morn would soon follow, along with all of its implications! He knew that what was beyond the cross would be worth the price of the cross!
Child of God, though this journey we’re on may indeed be a trail of tears, yet there is life after death for each believer! I’m not just speaking of the physical death, but of the dying of self. Once we are dead to self, we are alive in Christ! “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…” (Gal. 2:20). If there were but a dozen believers in this world today that learned and practiced the true meaning of this text, the world could once again be turned up-side down for the cause of Christ!
The question is, who will be willing to walk down the trail of tears for the anointing that awaits? “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Ps. 126:6). Beyond this veil of tears is a place with God that will indeed be worth the miles and heartaches it will take to get there. Will you go?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
And Ishmael the son of Nethania went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went…
Victory isn’t always sweet, because war is never pretty! Here, although Ishmael had risen against his enemies and slain them, yet the Bible says that he was “weeping all along as he went”. Many are the bitter-sweet experiences that we have throughout our journey with the Lord this side of Heaven. Many are the personal battles that, though won with great victory, will yet lead us down a trail of tears.
There are many things that we weep for. Some weep for those who were not as fortunate as they. Some weep for the changing landscape that the war left behind. Some weep for the friends that were lost due to the war. Some, if for nothing else, weep only for their wounds. Regardless of the reasons, we often find ourselves weeping at times that we should be rejoicing.
The reason is simple; true victory does not come without a price. I’m concerned that many of us do not consider the spoils of war to be worth the pain we must go through to get there. However, we must realize this truth; we still have a cross to bear.
Many of us forget about the life that can be found just past the cross! The Bible says of Christ in Heb. 12:2b, “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross….” Jesus wasn’t just looking TO the cross; He was looking THROUGH the cross! He knew that Resurrection morn would soon follow, along with all of its implications! He knew that what was beyond the cross would be worth the price of the cross!
Child of God, though this journey we’re on may indeed be a trail of tears, yet there is life after death for each believer! I’m not just speaking of the physical death, but of the dying of self. Once we are dead to self, we are alive in Christ! “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me…” (Gal. 2:20). If there were but a dozen believers in this world today that learned and practiced the true meaning of this text, the world could once again be turned up-side down for the cause of Christ!
The question is, who will be willing to walk down the trail of tears for the anointing that awaits? “He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.” (Ps. 126:6). Beyond this veil of tears is a place with God that will indeed be worth the miles and heartaches it will take to get there. Will you go?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill