16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
2 Corinthians 4: 16-18
It is so easy to fix our eyes on our problems. After all, they are right there, in front of our faces, so how could we ignore them, right? It is impossible! Fixing our eyes on the eternal? How do we do that? Personally, I have a hard time focusing on the things I see. Focusing on the unseen sounds like something I need to take a pill for before I attempt it.
Only through the power of the Most High I could possibly do this. The Lord, in His Grace and Love has given us Scripture to guide the way we look at things. Especially for those who tend to be “glass-half-empty” types (me), Scripture provides a choice of perspectives, always pointing at the right one we should choose. In this case, we can either look at our lives from the point of view of our problems, fears, difficulties, illnesses…outward, wasting away existence; or we can see it from the inward, being renewed day by day perspective.
If we are stuck on letting our less-than-desirable circumstances rob us of our joy in Christ, we’ll miss the point of going through them, which includes:
one, the fact that they are momentary,
two, that they serve the purpose of achieving us eternal rewards in Heaven.
It is a matter of faith!
As long as we are plugged into the source of our strength which is Christ and continue to follow Him, know Him and love Him through the power of His Word, we won’t lose heart when we face the afflictions that we are supposed to go through in this life. It is all part of it. When we become part of the family of God we do not enter an exclusive club where troubles and struggles are checked at the door. Our problems and struggles and fears and weaknesses come with us. The difference is that as children of God, we have the opportunity to survive such necessary afflictions from a perspective of love, hope, redemption, salvation and grace.
I know it is hard to fix our eyes on the unseen…but I also know that “We life by faith and not by sight!” (2 Corinthians 5: 7) And if we hang on just for a moment, keeping our eyes on Christ, the temporary discomfort will soon pass,and the eternal glory that we'll reap out of it will be a glorious and everlasting prize.
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