For this light and momentary affliction, what we see is transient
By Dean Collins
Perspective matters. According to Merriam-Webster, perspective is the capacity to view things in their true relations or relative importance. Scripture is “God breathed” and true; it helps us with gaining proper perspective. Carrying the Bible around or placing it on our desk does not help with perspective. And reading some Scripture but not understanding the whole story of God will skew perspective.
Transformed, called, challenged
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul describes the ministry we are given by the mercy of God. It is mercy and grace that allows us to share the transformational good news found in Jesus. Every saint is a sinner transformed by Christ and called to advance God’s kingdom. We are exactly like all of the other broken people in the world. We were lost and hopeless until someone shared the good news with us. And if not for the grace of God, we would continue living godless, misdirected, and misinformed lives. But God forgives us, transforms us by the Holy Spirit, and chooses to use us as his ambassadors.
Every sinner is a saint transformed by Christ.
Paul then goes on to explain that suffering and challenge come with our calling. In describing his own experiences of suffering, Paul is outlining for us the path we will walk if we are walking with Jesus. Afflicted, not crushed; persecuted, not forsaken; and so on (vv. 8-12). And yet we are called to proclaim this good news.
What we often fail to understand is what Paul is trying to teach us: Our brokenness and our weakness are the secret to real and lasting ministry. We do not have to be the best megachurch speaker, the platinum record-selling worship leader, or the most credentialed Bible scholar. What we are is broken, and what we offer is humble service to God and to others.
Light, momentary, temporary
As Paul wraps up chapter 14 he states that all the challenges and difficulties of our ministry and our lives are “light and momentary afflictions.” But it sure doesn’t seem so on many days. Light and momentary often seem heavy and persistent! When struggles and challenges continue, we cry out to God as David did, asking, “How long O, Lord?!”
But then as we zoom out to the bigger picture, we know Paul is right. His suffering, described in many places in Acts and his epistles, was profound. And he died a martyr. However, every living believer has been impacted by Paul’s ministry. Paul’s temporary suffering brought millions upon millions to faith and helped them mature in their faith.
Paul’s temporary suffering brought millions to faith.
It helps our understanding to consider Paul’s final words in chapter 4: “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” This means that you and I are often working on the wrong things. The success of my business, the size of my house, or the number of houses I own will not last. If our focus is on material things, then sadly we may be limiting our kingdom influence and witness.
And this relates to my suffering. I see my suffering. I see the problems I am trying to solve. I see the interruptions, slowdowns, and sometimes the sabotage of others on what I do. But I cannot see the future. I cannot see the lives that are changed. I cannot see the cascading of kingdom impact because I am here living now and not fully in eternity. So what I must do is consider that trusting God to deliver on his promises is the way I can “see” and know that the unseen work of God from my view is fully visible to God. In the end, knowing that God knows, that God sees, and that God supplies all our needs is the faith we build upon.
God sees, but we don’t, day by day
Knowing that the important view is what God sees and not what we see allows us through faith to say with Paul, “So we do not lose heart. Though the outer self is wasting away our inner self is being renewed day by day.” If we are not spending time with God in prayer, in his Word, and in communion with other believers, it will be very difficult, even impossible, to experience God’s daily renewal that is essential to our endurance.
Lord, we confess our limited perspective often keeps us from seeing the vastness of your work in our lives and through our offerings to you. Forgive us for the times we have focused more on what is seen and forgotten to invest in the work and the inner life that brings eternal perspective and spiritual vitality. We surrender to you today. Use us for your glory. Give us eyes to catch a glimpse of the weight of glory that is both now and not yet. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
2 Corinthians 4:1-18 ESV
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