HOW NOT TO LOSE HEART- WE HAVE A PROMISE IN OUR PAIN!
“THEREFORE WE DO NOT LOSE HEART.” WHY NOT?
“Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” -NASB – {2 Cor 4:16-18}.
Or consider this translation…
“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce {IS Producing} for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” NLT.-
The last couple of days we have been without power due to a storm, but that doesn’t mean the darkness of the evenings, can stop the Light of His Word from encouraging, so with a flashlight in my bed I came ACROSS TWO WORDS that caused me to stop and my heart to be encouraged, “…IS PRODUCING…” Paul was suffering and in it he gives this sentence, and the explanation with the word,“FOR!”…”for momentary light affliction IS PRODUCING for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. while we look….for the things….eternal”. Living in light of eternity, fixing our eyes on the eternal, suffering is not a waste but “IS PRODUCING…” something of eternal value that is GLORIOUS for us in the end.
So this passage has been my study, these two words are my meditation as I seek to understand and apply the passage to my life, and Paul’s key to how not to lose heart…Hope this encourages you, and those you know that our sorrows, sufferings, disappointments, pain need not be wasted. Indeed if it is for the Gospel and you are choosing to live in it and through your pain, suffering, seeking the glory of God in your circumstances, be assured by these two words from PAUL’S PERSPECTIVE…. that God, the Living God on your behalf, “…IS PRODUCING …for you “...an ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON”-{v 17.}
Paul suffered horrendously,{Read 2 Cor 11} and you wonder how could he “downplay” his pain an suffering and call it “momentary…light …affliction?” But he was not ‘downplaying” his suffering or trying to put on a “front,” but because his PERSPECTIVE was eternal. It was momentary versus Eternal. It was “light” versus
”weight {heaviness} of glory!”
Think of a pair of scales. On one side is 2 Cor 11 and if you read and make a list of them and add them up and place on one of the scales, the heaviness of it all immediately cause the scales to drop to the ground. And rightly so. Then on the other side of the scales, you place, the future of God’s PROVISION of His PROMISE, ”IS PRODUCING…” and the eternal weight of glory that is PROMISED to him. For the more he suffers for His glory, the more glory awaits him as it “IS PRODUCING…” and the scales begin to drop with the heaviness of eternal glory awaiting him and the scales with his suffering and troubles are tilted upwards and are “light” in comparison to what God is going to give Paul in the future. For one is temporal the other is eternal! Paul’s PERSPECTIVE was future, eternal focused on eternal realities and these words “IS PRODUCING” was GOD’S PROMISE in his pain. He focused on eternal realities in chapter 5 the eternal reality of being in Heaven, His new HOME…the eternal reality of being WITH HIM..!
Paul said “we do not lose heart…” and in 2 Cor 4:16-18 are some brief thoughts, based on his choosing to live thinking and looking at eternal realities and the PROMISE of God “…IS PRODUCING” something glorious through his pain… we can see for our own encouragement, and something to encourage others, something of how not to lose heart amidst our sufferings, troubles and pain…. namely…
1. – We have Spiritual Strength – over our human weakness –{v16}
2. – We have a Glorious Future – versus our present troubles. {v17}
3. – We have Eternal Realities to focus on – rather than the temporal fleeting realities of this life.-{v18}
We have a PROMISE IN OUR PAIN, GOD “…IS PRODUCING for us…”{V17} as we focus on eternal realities! {v18}. Your pain is not useless, or a waste, no matter what the world thinks or even as others close to you perceive, or you yourself are tempted to yield to. You have the PROMISE, God.”…IS PRODUCING …” God is working it all out for good, and the GLORY He has stored up for you is “… far beyond all comparison…”-{v 17}. Your sorrows, tears, suffering, pain, is not wasted in His hands and for His glory and HIS Promise to you is He “IS PRODUCING an ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON”-{v 17.} Sometimes as Paul we suffer FOR Christ OR in daily trials we can HONOR HIM in our response to honor Him, submit and trust Him with them and in our troubles!
BUT WHAT IF…
You have not lived in it for His glory? Confess it and thank Him His blood cleanses and begin afresh knowing He has a PROMISE for you “GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE THE CALLED…” and commit your sufferings into His hands, and look to eternity and know GOD “….IS PRODUCING an ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON” for you!!
Be encouraged and don’t lose heart…God…”IS PRODUCING…FOR US…. and Eternal weight of glory, far beyond all comparison…”
You have not lived in it for His glory? Confess it and thank Him His blood cleanses and begin afresh knowing He has a PROMISE for you “GOD WORKS ALL THINGS TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND ARE THE CALLED…” and commit your sufferings into His hands, and look to eternity and know GOD “….IS PRODUCING an ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON” for you!!
Be encouraged and don’t lose heart…God…”IS PRODUCING…FOR US…. and Eternal weight of glory, far beyond all comparison…”
QUESTION’S TO ASK YOURSELF?
When tempted to lose heart, ask yourself,“Is my perspective temporal or eternal?Has God Made a Provision of spiritual strength for me in this situation?Does God have a Promise for me to cling to and apply?”
And as you talk to yourself, and remind yourself of His Word you will find His answer from 2 Cor 4:16-18 as you develop, maintain a new pattern of thinking, as I have outlined below. Hope it helps you. Maybe you can write out 2 Cor 4:16-18 on a 3 by 5 card and place somewhere that you can see it and think on each word, phrase by phrase, sentence by sentence, and over a period of time you will find you have committed to memory and the Holy Spirit can use to remind you, encourage you, strengthen you and also to use you to help others.
Not Only Do We Have A PROMISE – IN OUR PAINWe Can Have HIS PERSPECTIVE – In Our Pain… God Is At Work….”… IS PRODUCING” Through our Pain an eternal Perspective… and a Future Hope of Eternal Glory! We Have A FUTURE Hope In a present TENSE SAVIOR!
- CAN YOU MEMORIZE, MEDITATE UPON THESE VERSES.
- DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE… WHO YOU CAN SHARE HIS HOPE WITH IN REGARDS PAIN from these verses? THAT GOD HAS NOT ABANDONED THEM BUT EVEN THROUGH THE PAIN IS ACTIVE AND “…IS PRODUCING…”
- Ezra studied the Scriptures to Know Him, Obey Him and share His Word that others may benefit… lets do likewise...
DEVELOPING A NEW PATTERN OF THINKING RIGHTLY...
