Looking at the invisible

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4.16-18

Don’t lose heart – that’s Paul advice to the Corinthians.

‘Yeah right,’ might be there response, and ours, if we are not careful. ‘How do I not lose heart in the real world?’ ‘Things are tough. Sometimes stuff we go through may seem unbearable – how do I not lose heart?’ Our heartward man is perishing.

What we must keep in mind is that this affliction that we are going through is just for a moment when it comes to eternity. What we are going through can indeed be tough. It is so easy to see that because it is so obvious. It is front of us every day.

The eternal things are hard to see because we have to choose to look at them. We have to choose to spend time in God’s word. We have to choose to set our affections on things above, not on things here on earth.

I guess the best picture of this is Peter walking on the water. As long as he kept his eyes on Jesus he was fine. He got in trouble when he focused on the storms. We are told in Hebrews that we we run the race that we are given we need to be looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.

It will indeed be worth it all when we see Christ.