How often do you get depressed about what the world outside looks like? How often do you see your sin and shake your head in despair and disgust, wondering if it will ever end? How often do you wish it all would just go away?
I’m there with you if you say yes to any of these questions. But I want to encourage you with a piece of Scripture that a friend just texted me as encouragement. It’s 2 Corinthians 4:16-18:
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
Our outer selves are wasting away. If you look at yourself in your sin, you see your sinful nature rebelling against what you were created for. We’re called to do everything for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31), and anytime we don’t live that way, we’re rebelling. But praise be the God that, because of His grace, those who are saved, their inner selves are being renewed every day! Romans 8:29 says God predestined that some men would be “conformed to the image of his son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Those of us who are believers, we’re being made more and more into the image of Jesus! Let’s go!
The things we see now, the “light momentary affliction” that we have, is that, light and momentary. In the long run, it’s momentary and it’s light. You see that juxtaposed with “eternal weight of glory.” Eternal vs. momentary, weight vs. light and glory vs. affliction. Heaven, that “eternal weight of glory,” is what awaits us on the other side! It’s far greater than anything we face here on earth. Paul expressed it again this way: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).
One day we’re going to see Jesus! And we have to keep that eternal destination at the center of our attention. We have to keep that which is unseen at the center. That’s why Romans 8:6 says the mind that’s kept on the Spirit is “life and peace.” In the long run, we should see our “momentary afflictions” as just that, momentary.
But what do we do in the meantime? What do we do when the world is stressing us out? What do we do when there seems to be no hope?
The gospel. The forgiveness offered at the cross means we have everything we need now and everything we need for later. That means, if we are of Christ, our home is not here. “Our citizenship is in heaven,” Philippians 3:20-21 says, “and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Christ’s power, the one that gives Him power and reign over all things, is the power that will one day
Man. I just want to go where I’m only breathing Your air. Father, hear my prayer, take me there, take me there. I just want to see You brighter than I’m used to, finally see it clear, take me there, take me there.
By A Ransomed Soul 