Have you ever had a bad day as a Christian? Have you ever suffered some slight, some insult, some mild form of persecution because of your faith? (“Mild” in comparison to what we read of New Testament Christians suffering.) Have you ever allowed that experience to be magnified out of proportion to the point that it became “the worst thing ever” or a “faith-debilitating attack”?
May I suggest that we keep things in perspective? First of all, contrast what we endure as Christians with what the apostle Paul endured. He was “afflicted in every way…persecuted…struck down…in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often” (2 Cor. 4:8-9; 11:23; cf. v. 24-27). What we endure is not worthy to be compared with what the faithful of old endured!
More importantly than a contrast with Paul, we need to keep things in the same perspective as Paul did. Regardless of what he suffered, Paul announced, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16). What determination! What contentment! Two verses later, he continued, “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” (4:18). Now that’s keeping things in perspective!
But, I want you to consider the verse in between these two verses. Notice carefully the outlook that Paul kept in the midst of all that he endured. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
Paul referred to his excessive persecution as affliction which was (1) momentary and (2) light. We wouldn’t think of it that way, but Paul did! Momentary (i.e., for a limited and short time) and light (i.e., easy to bear)! We need to adopt that mentality!
Then, he said that these afflictions were not working against him but they were working for him! They were producing something far greater than could even be described! Rather than focus on the “affliction,” Paul focused his attention on the “glory” awaiting—a “glory” that was (note the sharp contrast) (1) eternal (not momentary) and (2) weighty (not light)! Paul uses a double expression to emphasize that this glory is “beyond all measure and proportion.” There was no human way for him to describe the magnitude of the glory!
So, the next time that we have a bad day as a Christian, let’s put it into perspective and focus our attention on the awaiting glory that is “exceeding exceedingly” glorious!