“Therefore
we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are
being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on
what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is
unseen is eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
At a first glance of reading
this, you might think whether this writer really knew much about suffering. How
can his troubles be light and momentary, while mine are hard and never ending?
If only he had seen my life – I am endlessly sick, I have no time for family or
friends, I can’t work….
Brother! Sister! Let me tell
you - Paul, a passionate follower of Jesus, wrote this passage and he, by no
means, had an ‘easy’ life. In 2 Corinthians 11:24, we read that five times Paul
received forty lashes, three times he was beaten with rods, once stoned, three
times shipwrecked and constantly in danger at sea and from bandits, countrymen,
Gentiles and false brothers. He went
long periods without sleep, battling hunger, thirst and cold, all whilst facing
the daily pressure of his concern for
all the churches.
That’s a long list; so why
in the world would Paul think that these troubles were “light” and “momentary”.
Was he delusional? Did he love being persecuted? Did he enjoy being shamed? Of course
not! He was hurt by the pain he faced, just like we are.
So if that’s not the case,
maybe, we should re-read verse 17. “For our light and momentary troubles are
achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Paul
appears to be making a comparison between his troubles and the eternal glory we
have in Christ. What he is trying to say
is that all these sufferings and struggles, as horrible and painful as they are,
are nothing when compared to our inheritance in Christ. If these are our
troubles, our joy in heaven will be that much greater!
Earlier in 2 Corinthians, in
chapter 4, verse 14, Paul reminds us that God, who raised Jesus from the dead,
will also raise us to be with Him and share in the above inheritance. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter, another passionate
follower of Jesus, tells us about the glorious inheritance that awaits us
because of Jesus – an inheritance that will never perish, spoil or fade. This
is our joy, this is our inheritance – being adopted into God’s family and
living with him forever. No harm or suffering in this world could compare to
this joy that will be ours.
Does that seem a little
incredulous? Do you find that hard to
believe?
Think of this – A woman in
labour goes through unimaginable pain to have her child. This could take hours
or even days. Childbirth has been described as one of the world’s most painful
experiences; still, women go through this willingly all the time. Why?
Because of that moment - the
moment when the nurse hands over the baby, when she holds him/her in her arms
for the first time; she knows that it’s worth it. All the pain, hurt and
suffering she went through cannot be compared to the joy, honour and the privilege
of being a mother to that beautiful baby. It will be the same, if not more,
with us when we go to heaven. I am sure that there will not be a soul in heaven
who does not think that all of life’s suffering, were light and momentary
compared to the eternal glory they then have.
Friends! What are your
troubles? What causes you pain? Is it unemployment sickness, poverty, hunger or
thirst?
Do not lose heart. If you
believe in Jesus and accept His death in your place, your eternal glory awaits you,
because of Jesus’ sacrifice for you.
Remember your troubles are temporary since
your eternal life with Jesus will last forever and forever. Hold on to your inheritance,
in faith, which is freely given to you through Jesus Christ.
This post is adapted from my contributions to EbenDavid Ministries & Charities newsletter.
Judging by the crazy winds and the cold weather outside, you might not notice it, but never fear!! Summer is coming!
Even though things appear gloomy and we are unwell with no tangible end in sight, we can be joyful because we know that God has made a home for us in heaven. It is coming.. It is not question of whether but when!
