4 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God,[a] we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice[b] cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants[c] for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For
we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so
that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you.13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self[d] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
--- 2 Corinthians 4
In chapel yesterday, a woman spoke of her struggle with not being able to conceive a baby and depression. The message of her talk was that we will face hard times. Or at least, that's what stuck out to me. Most people left chapel either red-eyed or in tears. She didn't share this passage in her talk, but her talk pushed me to the Scriptures. I read a chapter from my normal devotional time, but was yearning for more instruction so I started flipping to Paul. I landed on 2 Corinthians because I had the second page dog-eared and wanted to rediscover whatever it was that caught my special attention however long ago. This whole chapter spoke to me.
We like to think that following Christ is easy. We get eternal life, a wealth of community and family, God provides, and we grow. But sometimes, the community or family we have hurts us more than our enemies, God provides less or differently than we anticipate, growth is painful, and according to this passage, having eternal life is, well, hard in our mortal bodies. This passage guarantees physical, emotional, and spiritual troubles.
Have you ever considered your body or heart to be a representation of Christ crucified? "For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (v11). We are not alone in this battle, this fight, or struggle. Jesus has gone before, shared our humanness, and has already felt our heavy heart, the tears that roll down our cheeks, the anxiety, the pain, the isolation.
The Father promises resurrection. "Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (v16-17). Notice the word light. 'This light affliction.' Whatever taxing experience we go through, it certainly never feels like a light affliction. A miscarriage, a broken relationship, joblessness. It is a light load we bare in comparison with Christ. He bore God's wrath so this affliction would be light, bearable. Yet, we will still see a glory we cannot even wrap our brains around when all our afflictions cease.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us" (v7). 'Jars of clay.' The perishable. The mortal. Anything and everything that is not eternal. I used to think that 'jars of clay' were material possessions. Now I believe the connotation is broader than that. I've discovered my treasures are specific people or the relationships I have with them. For the chapel speaker, her treasure was to be a mother, a dream she'd had since childhood. When things go wrong in my relationships or friends fall away, I can't control them. I have to surrender them to God. We're simple and powerless for a purpose. That purpose is to magnify God's character. If we were powerful, where would God be? Forgotten. Neglected. Not glorified. Our work would be of ourselves which is directly contradicted by this passage.
The phrase "we do not lose heart" is used twice in this chapter. In case Paul's message isn't clear, he tells us in Ephesians and Galatians to 'not lose heart.'
Galatians 6:8-9 --- "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not lose heart."
Ephesians 3:11-13 ---"This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."
Do not lose heart, brothers and sisters. God will sustain you. "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;" (v8-9). God sustains, renews, carries the situation for us. He sustains us through his Body. One of the things the speaker at chapel pointed out, is that God uses the body of Christ to help us carry our burdens. When we need to hear Biblical truth and have an example of God's love to remind us of who He is. Community with the Body is important. The Body prays for us and with us when we cannot. The Body lifts our burdens when it is too heavy for us to carry on our own.
"For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God" (15). The affliction and suffering are for your sake. How often we plead for God to take away our affliction and not consider what He wants to teach us through it. As God gives grace to you, he also passes it to others through you. This reminds me of a family back home where the daughter has been incredibly sick for two years now. (At least, I think it's two years.) She's been in and out of the hospital constantly, has had numerous trips to Cleveland to see specialists, and was in a nursing home for two or three months. Talk about affliction! But God. I want you to think about that for a second. But God. Their family has become strong as a unit and as individuals. They give me hope. They give friends and family hope. The grace God has given them has poured out to other who know them. If this family can pull through this affliction with God's grace, maybe I can too. I'm confident that this family would not be such a strong example of Christ without this affliction in their lives. It has not been easy for them or anyone who knows them, but the reward they are reaping is significantly greater. God is given glory in this affliction.
Do not lose heart during your light afflicted, brothers and sisters. He's got a plan and He will carry you through it. If you are afflicted, burdened, I encourage you to read this passage and ask the Spirit to comfort you. <3
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. --- Ephesians 3:20-21
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