Former Blackout Artist

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 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

Few men in the history of the church have borne the weight of suffering for the gospel as the Apostle Paul did. Imprisoned, flogged, stoned, and shipwrecked three times, Paul endured trials that would crush the resolve of lesser men. Yet, in the face of such relentless affliction, he declares with unwavering conviction, “We do not lose heart.”

How could a man subjected to such physical and emotional battering maintain such resilience? The answer lies in the eternal perspective that anchored his soul, a truth we must grasp if we are to persevere in our own trials.

In 2nd Corinthians 4:16-18, Paul unveils the secret of his endurance: he looked beyond the temporal to the eternal. Outwardly, his body was wasting away – scarred by beatings, weakened by hardship, and worn by the toils of ministry. Yet inwardly, he was being renewed day by day. This was no mere optimism or stoic grit; it was the supernatural work of God’s Spirit, sustaining and strengthening him through the promises of the gospel. Believer, take note: the same divine power that renewed Paul is at work in you, fortifying your soul even as the world, the flesh, and the devil seek to wear you down.

Paul calls his afflictions “light and momentary troubles.” This is such a staggering statement given the ledger of his sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:23-28). How could he possibly describe such intense trials as “light”? Because he weighed them against the “eternal glory” that awaited him. The scales of eternity tipped overwhelmingly in favor of the glory to come – a glory so vast, so magnificent, that it rendered his present sufferings insignificant by comparison. This is not to minimize pain, but to magnify the surpassing worth of what God has prepared for those who love Him.

Like Paul, we must fix our eyes on the unseen. The things of this world – its trials, its temptations, its fleeting pleasures – are temporary, fading like mist before the morning sun. But the unseen realities of God’s kingdom – His promises, His presence, His eternal reward – are forever. To focus on the seen is to be consumed by despair; to focus on the unseen is to be sustained by a glorious hope. Paul’s mission to proclaim the gospel of salvation was fueled by this eternal perspective, and nothing – not chains, not stones, not shipwrecks – could deter him from his calling.

Christian, what afflicts you today? Are you weary from the battle, tempted to lost heart? Consider Paul, who suffered more than most ever will, yet pressed on because he knew that his trials were producing an eternal weight of glory. And neither are your struggles in vain, for they are achieving a reward that far outweighs every tear, every pain, and every sacrifice.

So fix your gaze on the unseen eternal promises of God. Let the certainty of your future in Christ anchor your soul, and like Paul – run the race with endurance, knowing that what awaits you is worth it all.