Proper perspective

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 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. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Paul began Chapter 4 and ended this chapter with this; “We never give up.” This should be the right perspective in life by every follower of Christ. Though he described that the outer flesh is temporary and is indeed wasting away, but he realized that the presence of Jesus renews the inner man each day. Christians can look frail and worn-out on the outside but deep inside they are refreshed and renewed. Trials and troubles at times could be overwhelming but when we know that God is with us during these times of difficulties, we come to a realization that they are temporary and they are nothing compared to the glory that God will give to every Christian. God rewards those that continue to persevere. Instead of giving up because of the troubles in life, we can be like Paul choosing to look up to God. Out of that perspective, priorities change. What matters now “are the things we cannot see;” the things that will last forever. God calls us to invest our energy on things that will last. “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” (Colossians 3:1-2). Why exert all our efforts and energies committing to things that will bring pleasure for a while, but will be destroyed when Jesus comes again? What are those that will last? “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8). What will last is the character of God being lived out through us, the fruit of the Holy Spirit for we are yielding to His working, and following the example of submission showed by Jesus to His followers. This is so because God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are eternal. The love of God, the grace of Jesus, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit will remain for eternity. “It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).

Blessings