Today’s Reading, 2 Corinthians 1-4
Focal Scripture: 2 Corinthians 4:17 “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.”
Affliction can get heavy, especially if you do not have the right mindset about what you are going through. Afflictions are things that cause pain and suffering. These can be relational, they can be personal struggles over sin. You can even experience afflictions mentally and finically. Worse yet, is if you are experiencing afflictions spiritually. This can happen when you are seeking the Lord and you don’t receive an immediate answer. It may even happen when you are wanting direction and it seems that Heavens door is closed. Often we experience more than one affliction at a time in our walks.
In today’s reading Paul wants the church to see afflictions correctly. He says that the here light afflictions they are experiencing are temporary. They also serve a tremendous purpose in the life of a believer. Afflictions should focus our mind on the eternal weight of glory. In other words afflictions should bring you to Jesus and the awesomeness of his glory. His glory should weigh us down in a good way. It should comfort us and give us peace.
So how do you view your afflictions? Do you view them and understand them as only being temporary? Or do you view your afflictions as something that will destroy you and ruin your life? If we are honest we all go through seasons where our afflictions seem to be winning in our life. We get overwhelmed and start questioning why these things are happening. We can even get upset with God and question his goodness and his plan.
I want to encourage you today to trust the Lord. Know that these afflictions are temporary and will only lead to glory. Not our glory but glory in the Lord. Because when we are weak he is strong. When we think everything is falling apart he is with us. When life seems to be falling apart we are right where he wants us to be in that moment. Our afflictions bring God into view better than any day of peace.
Trust the process and trust the Lord. Our afflictions make us dependent upon the Lord of heaven. They make us into better believers and more confident witnesses. Afflictions are for our good and his glory.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading 2 Corinthians 5-9
