"Temporary Trouble Brings Tremendous Eternal Glory!"

 

“Temporary Trouble Brings Tremendous Eternal Glory!”

 

…Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day.  And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble.     2 Corinthians 4:16b-17

 

Every day, we get OLDER, and our bodies are GRADUALLY DECAYING.  And I can attest to that fact.  I feel every little pain and discomfort. It seems as if it gets harder and harder to get out of bed, and to carry out the simplest tasks.  And it’s not ONLY the PHYSICAL problems, but many times we are faced with the day to day problems, some seem very TROUBLESOME, and UNNECESSARY, and yet some are SERIOUS problems that we MUST take care of.  They are PROBLEMS that may deal with RELATIONSHIPS, BUSINESS, MONEY, and even our HEALTH.  The ANXIETY of facing these things and their OUTCOMES, can cause us SUFFERINGS. 

 

However, the Apostle Paul encourages us with the thought that these TEMPORARY TROUBLES will bring us a TREMENDOUS and ETERNAL GLORY that is MUCH GREATER than these troubles that will eventually go away.  While our PHYSICAL BODY grows weaker, there is a SPIRITUAL RENEWAL taking place, which is the WORK of the HOLY SPIRIT, who indwells the TRUE BELIEVER.  And this SPIRITUAL RENEWAL makes us MORE LIKE CHRIST JESUS and LESS like ourselves. 

 

In order for this transformation to take place, there will be SUFFERING in this RENEWAL PROCESS.  Paul, compared his SUFFERINGS, as severe as they were, to be LIGHT and TEMPORARY.  He tells us that there is NO COMPARASION to the weight of the ETERNAL GLORY that will one day be ours when we come into the PRESENCE of the LORD JESUS CHRIST and when we are like Him.  This perspective and HOPE sustained Paul in his TEMPORARY TROUBLES. 

 

We should fix our ATTENTION NOT on what is SEEN, (material things) but on the things that are NOT SEEN, (spiritual things).  The things that are SEEN are TEMPORARY and those things that are UNSEEN are ETERNAL.  The TEMPORARY THINGS will be REPLACED with a GLORY that will NEVER WASTE AWAY.  It is an ETERNAL GLORY that is made possible through the LORD JESUS CHRIST.  It is AVAILABLE ONLY to the TRUE BELIEVER.  Are you FOCUSING on your TEMPORARY TROUBLES or on the ETERNAL GLORY that comes from your FAITH and TRUST in a POWERFUL, LOVING GOD who can get you through your SUFFERING to the ETERNAL GLORY that awaits you?

In order to face your TROUBLES and SUFFERINGS with God’s HELP, you MUST ADMIT that you are a SINNER, in NEED of a SAVIOR, and BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART, that JESUS CHRIST died for YOU, and that He is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you. Then, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART, CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  And TURN AWAY FROM your OLD sinful life-style, and TURN TO GOD, for the HELP and STRENGTH to PERSEVERE through your TEMPORARY TROUBLES and FOCUS on the ETERNAL GLORY that awaits you.  ACCEPT God’s Gift of SALVATION, NOW, by doing the above, because He’s WAITING and COMING SOON!!!