What Of Hardships?

Hardships.
Have you experienced
hardships recently?
Welcome to earth.
Yes, you have arrived.

Smile dear one.
God made a plan.
For His Beloved, chosen ones
to a place above
life's demands.

Colossians 3
holds a key.
And if you look at it closely
you may even find
one, two or three.

First things first,
no matter the attacks.
It starts out with a reminder
then enters upon the plan.

"So, if you have been raised
to life in fellowship with Christ,"
Make sure you have.
"keep on seeking the things above,
where Christ is seated
at the right hand of God."

Oh, what a plan!
Talk about a daring dimension.
Do you think we really can?
"Where Christ is seated
at God's right hand" seems pretty high.

Again,
"Practice occupying your minds
with the things above,
not with the things on earth."

Occupy my mind?
What does this mean?

Well, "...you died,
and your life is now hidden in God
through fellowship with Christ.
When Christ, who is our life, appears,
you too will appear to be glorified
in fellowship with Him.

Yes, hardships are hard.
They are happening all around.
Some are so difficult,
your own body cries out aloud.

But guess what?
You died.  You were raised with Christ.
You are now in fellowship with Him.
Your relationship and fellowship
with the hardship is less than
your fellowship with Christ.
Because your mind is stayed on Him.
Your mind is being renewed with Him.
Your mind is enjoying what He says.
Your ears are hearing music from Him.
The eyes of your heart are open for Him.
You are completely saturating yourself
and practicing Him.
And pretty soon you find,
in Him you live, move and have your being.

What of Hardships?
Yes, they are hard.
But you are in heavenly glory
while here on earth
and your mind is practicing staying
on the things above.

Psalm 88 - Hardships of David
Psalm 89 - What did he do?