Devotion:
Read 2 Corinthians 4:14-18.
In this passage, Paul reminds the church of Corinth in 2 Corinthians not to lose eternal perspective in the midst of everything they are going through. There was disunity in the church and they were experiencing divisions and quarrels. He says they were pressed on every side with troubles. Paul wants them to know the distresses of life on earth is a short time compared to the blessings of eternity with Christ. Our life on earth is temporary and day by day, our physical bodies are in the process of dying. As Christians, even though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. Paul encourages us not to lose heart because of our troubles. And Paul had more than his fair share of troubles including imprisonment, beatings, a shipwreck, and a snake bite! Paul knew his physical body was beaten and bruised and wasting away, but he didn’t focus on his hardships. Paul tells us to “fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.” Often our perspective is on the “seen” world instead of the “unseen” world. As The Message puts it, “We look forward to the joys in heaven which we have not yet seen. The troubles will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” When we use our eyes of faith, we can look beyond our worldly troubles and get a glimpse of the joys of heaven.
Personal Worship Option:
In what ways do you need to shift your vision to have an eternal perspective?
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