“Therefore, we do not give up; even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. So we do not focus 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 CSB)
Paul faced multiple problems in his life and work. He describes part of them in verses 8-9, “pressured in every way, but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” He even felt that death was at work in him. But a “spirit of faith” countered all of that and produced hope. Faith reminded him of the resurrection, of the power of the gospel, and of God’s grace. And on that basis he said, “Therefore, we do not give up.” He realized that all such affliction is only temporary and could not begin to compare with the glory that is coming. He intentionally chose, then, to focus on what is unseen rather than on what is seen.
You also may face many problems in your journey. Your problems may feel quite significant and overwhelming and may even carry with them the aroma of death. But God’s encouragement to you today is that you not give up. Go to your faith place and pitch your tent there. That is where God will meet with you and remind you of the power of His gospel in your life. There He will show you that your struggles are temporary and momentary. And there He will call you to not focus on your problems but to look beyond them and put them in the context of eternity.
Our world does not understand this, but we are called to focus on what is unseen, not on what is seen.
Father, Today help us to keep our eyes focused on that which is unseen and not be deceived or distracted by what appears to be the reality. Amen.
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