For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us a weight of glory that far outweighs them all. —2 Corinthians 4:17

Click Here to Read Today’s Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Recently I was introduced to an organization with a vision to give people freedom from hardship. My first thought was, Is that even possible? Can you take a group of people and help them in such a way that all hardship is eliminated from their lives? Suppose the main hardship for a group is hunger. If I could guarantee these people would have all their food needs met for the rest of their lives, would I have eliminated hardship? What about when someone from that group loses their job? Or is told they must find another place to live? Or is diagnosed with an incurable disease? Or their child fails all their classes and can’t complete high school?

Hardship is a part of living in this fallen world. Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33). That doesn’t sound encouraging! He told His followers (including us) that trouble is a certainty. Don’t we wish He had said, “Follow me and I will banish all trouble from your life”? But Jesus didn’t stop with merely stating the reality of hardship. He continued: “Take heart! I have overcome the world.” The Greek word “overcome” translated here has the sense of continuously overcoming. He has overcome, He is overcoming, He will overcome. Truly, that should make us take heart, be encouraged!

The Bible makes it clear that hardship is not only inevitable, but it can be beneficial. As we face hardship with the Lord’s help, we are developing perseverance. The writer of Hebrew notes that God can use hardship as discipline, to keep us on the right path, training us for a life of righteousness and peace (12:7-11). And in 2 Corinthians, Paul observes that we learn to rely on God’s strength when we are weak (12:7-10), and we are reminded that any power we have is from God and not from us (4:7-8).

Hard times are a part of everyone’s life, but they are not forever! One day Jesus will return, and all will be made new.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

How then do we handle hardships? We fix our eyes on Jesus, remembering that anything we suffer in this life is nothing compared to what He suffered to secure our salvation. And it is nothing compared to the glory of being with Him forever.

Jesus is our example, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 1:2).

Reflect:  How do you handle hard times? What experiences from your past or the experiences of others can help you trust God to use hardship to make you more like Jesus?

Prayer Starter:

Lord, thank you for using hard times to make me who you want me to be. Help me to keep my eyes on you instead of focusing on the hardship.

Share this with a friend