Daily Devotion, November 19, 2020

 

Devotion: Read 2 Corinthians 4:15-18.

This is such an encouraging passage. Paul faced challenges and troubles in his life that are unimaginable to me. Yet he calls them light and momentary. The apostle Paul advises God’s people not to lose heart when the troubles of this life dim our outlook on the future. When we are discouraged by the problems and injustices of the world, a broken relationship, a tough situation at work, a grim financial outlook, or a health crisis, it can feel like we are burdened and hopeless.

Why is Paul able to have such a positive outlook? Because he could see beyond life here. He caught a glimpse of glory, and knew that there is no real comparison between what happens here and what is to come. It’s all about perspective and what we focus on. We can sit around forlorn, or we can see the light of Jesus. Paul says the problems we see are temporary, but the hope we have in Jesus, though unseen, is eternal.

This is also a challenging passage, because it calls on me to fix my eyes, not on the here and now, but on eternity. That is hard for me to do. This life seems so real. While I have my hope placed in the eternal, it is not something I can grab hold of and see. What I can see and hold onto is only temporary; it will not last. But the unseen is eternal. Personal Worship Option: Because we have the light of Jesus and assurance of eternal life, we should be grateful and enthusiastic about sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others. Our gift of love from God and the sacrifice of His son, should make us eager to tell our story with others out of gratitude to our Lord.