That is why we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine. (2Co 4:16-17 GW)
Perspective is important. Two persons looking at the same thing can end up seeing differently - one may see opportunity where the other sees defeat. Much of life is like this and unless we have the right perspective, any form of suffering and pain is multiplied several times.
| ...unless we have the right perspective, any form of suffering and pain is multiplied several times. |
As an example, Apostle Paul enumerated several episodes of suffering in his life, which include these: five times the Jewish leaders had him beaten with 39 lashes; three times Roman officials had him beaten with clubs; once people tried to stone him to death; three times he was shipwrecked, and he drifted on the sea for a night and a day. Because he had to work so hard, he often went without sleep, hungry and thirsty, and without proper clothes during cold weather (2Co 11:24-27). In the end, this is what he had to say: "...we are not discouraged. Though outwardly we are wearing out, inwardly we are renewed day by day. Our suffering is light and temporary..." (2Co 4:16-17).
The beauty of God's word is that it contains truths that we can hold on to when everything around us tends to crumble down. The promise that whatever suffering we may have in this world is light and temporary is because the bible tells us that there is another life where we acquire another body (vv. 5:1, 2, 4) and live in another world. God Himself prepared everything for us there (v. 5:5) and that future time and place is where things greater than we can ever imagine await.
Without a hope for a better future, one can hardly acquire an optimistic perspective about the present. All the present suffering will seem unbearable when we know this is all there is and there's nothing to come. But with a solid belief in the afterlife, we are guided by faith into things that are not yet seen but are eternal and will last forever (v. 4:18). This belief makes the present suffering temporary compared to the one that's coming.
Meanwhile, as we live with our present situations which may not always be pleasant and enjoyable but full of suffering and pain, let's look to God in faith. Tomorrow is a new day. God can do something new, can intervene to end the suffering or give us renewed strength to last one more day. But always remember. All that there is today is light and temporary compared to what's coming.
Thus, we must build our confidence not in what is there today, even if what's present is good. It's okay to enjoy the present and be thankful about everything. While here, our main objective must be to live a life pleasing to Him (v. 5:9-10). But we must look forward even more to the day when we will be leaving these bodies and be in the presence of God (v. 5:6). We can endure the light and the temporary if we can envision bliss in the eternal next.
