I remember one morning when I was struggling in prayer. “Lord, help me. I have no desire to obey and follow you to unknown places. It is uncomfortable and scary.”
“Will you do it for six months?” God’s response resonated in my heart.
I shrugged. “Sure, I guess. What are six months in the span of a lifetime?”
Then I heard His response in my soul. “What is a lifetime in the light of eternity?”
In our text, Paul encourages and reminds the Corinthians (and us) that “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Our circumstances, says the apostle, are temporary. In other words, they will last only for a while. Paul stated for his readers to find hope in the assurance of the afterlife, knowing that in this life circumstances come and go. Troubles in a marriage, difficulty to make ends meet, aches of the soul, and more are temporary. Let’s remind ourselves that they are only for a while.
We can find peace in knowing that most of our struggles won’t last forever. Even those difficulties which seem to last a long, long time are but a comma in the story of eternity. God’s plan for us is always good, despite the fact life’s circumstances seem to be the opposite of what we hope for or desire. We can find more rest for our souls if we daily remind ourselves of this truth.
Father God, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, gives us the strength to not only survive, but to live the abundant life you have for us. May we find rest in you and your healing Word. May we embrace our destinies, fully, and not let fear or cultural expectations sidetrack us for a second. Help us Lord! Amen.
Go Deeper ― Consider the second part of James 4:14, “Your life is like the morning fog — it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (NLT). Make a list of all you are worrying about. What eternal significance do these things have? You may find your idea of what is important alters.
More food for thought: read A Good Kind of Restlessness.