GC

I think you’re right: these things do pull us in two directions—suffering and crucifixion for the sake of the gospel on one hand; enjoying the fragrant hops of God’s creation on the other.

Here’s how I try to resolve it (although never perfectly):

1. When you’re working, work hard, and expect suffering, persecution and hardship for your trouble.

2. Take enough rest to allow you to keep working hard long-term; and when you do rest, receive the wonderful gifts of God’s creation with thanksgiving.

3. Try not to mix the two.

TP

A belated comment, but I think we see this very tension in 1 Corinthians 7. In v 29, Paul says,

the time is limited, so from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none [HCSB]

We’re not to be engrossed in the things of this present world which are passing away. And this applies even to marriage (for in the new creation, we’ll neither marry nor be given in marriage).

And yet, just a few verses later, he says in vv33-34,  that by contrast to the unmarried man who can be single-minded in concern about things of the Lord and pleasing him…

a married man is concerned about the things of the world—how he may please his wife—and he is divided.

And the context seems to suggest that Paul thinks that’s exactly how it should be. The married man should be concerned about looking after his wife and pleasing her. That’s certainly what he said in regards to sex back in vv3-5.

So at one and the same time, we who are married are to live as if we’re not and yet we are to care for our wives. What Ian Carmichael said in the previous Spurgeon topic is helpful. We should be making our sacrifices in fellowship with our wives as much as possible.