Even in the valley, I'm being molded by the master Potter

Romans 8:1-2 “With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved. Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death.”

When we decide to trust in Christ, He gives us a fresh start; we’re a new creation. We are no longer a slave to sin and the dark cloud we’ve been living under. We are free to live an abundant life; a life that is led by the Holy Spirit living within us. Yet there still seem to be valleys to walk through. Why is this? Even though I am confident in my relationship with Jesus Christ, I used to wonder why I still had to go through tough times. What I've come to understand is that I am being molded into the image of Christ.

Molded? Pretend for a moment that you are a piece of clay. The potter begins to shape you and mold you into the very thing he has in mind for you to become. Now, when the potter begins this shaping process does that look at all comfortable for the clay? I don’t think so…shaping looks down right painful. If we look at it now from the perspective of our new life in Christ, we have to sacrifice like He sacrificed. He left all the comforts of heaven. We too must leave our old live behind and walk in the grace we’ve been given through Christ.

Ok, I get that… but what happens when we go through a really tough time and Satan tempts us to do something that doesn’t line up with our new life in Christ? Does Christ stop loving us? ABSOLUTELY NOT... There is NOTHING that can EVER separate us from the love of Jesus Christ; absolutely nothing. We have to ask him to forgive us of the sin we committed...but there is nothing we can do for Him to ever give up on us.

“There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.” (Romans 8:31-39)

Isn't this truth comforting to know?