A woman had a vision in which her life was a cesspool of misery and stench, she cried out to God to help her, she saw his hand reach out of heaven and she eagerly grasped it and felt his pull as God came down into her cesspool and put his arm around her and said, “Let’s walk this together.” She didn’t like his way but it was better than walking it alone.

Will I like God’s vision for me? Unfortunately his purposes have little to do with any given result that I would want, and certainly he is not as interested in my comfort or ministry or function as I am. Instead he is interested in:

1. My doing good works. I am not created to accomplish any good result just to do the good works (results are his business).   What are good works?  Checking with God, his word and other believers as to what needs to be done. Doing these tasks in his strength, letting God use my body parts to live his life through me by yielding my members to him as slaves and instruments. Delighting in the privilege to be a fellow laborer, soldier and sufferer with him.

Ephesians 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 6 19  I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

Saints living in this purpose of God might experience: beheadding, being sawn apart, hiding naked in caves, starving to death, being killed in war, or maybe having their ministry ignored just as Jeremiah did. Hebrews 12 :23 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,   These All! were full of faith and had such different experiences. We’d all love to be in the first group, but do you know that would actually be best for you and your Lord? Also, doing well can carry temptations and struggles that are not faced by those who suffer. Also, don’t set a time limit on when God has to bring  so much good from the suffering that it all makes sense to you. Some live to see his salvation on earth. Job. Others die and learn his plan in heaven.

2.He wants me to become like his son Jesus.

Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 3. He wants me to  be grateful always. I Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. It is both scary to see what his purpose is for me and to see how this purpose is best accomplished, but it is so freeing that his purpose does not include my accomplishing anything, no works not now not ever!