“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Cor. 4:17, NIV).
Today Holy Spirit is stirring this Scripture in my heart again. Last week we talked about how “light and momentary” is God’s eternal perspective of our current troubles. It’s the most accurate perspective because He can see the whole span of forever. What you and I are going through right now is the briefest blip on the “timeline” of eternity (for lack of a better word, since eternity is beyond time).
As God teaches us to soar with Him on eagles’ wings, He breathes His eternal perspective into our hearts. We begin to see Reality through His eyes. From up high with Him, the things below do begin to look much smaller.
This is what Paul was experiencing as he penned these words under the inspiration of Holy Spirit. As a result of enduring so many trials, he was coming through the fire beautifully purified. He was beginning to experience an intimacy with God that took his breath away. We catch the tiniest glimpse of this in the same book, eight chapters later. He describes his stunning experiences in the third person, desiring to remain humble about them: “A man… was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven” (2 Cor. 12:2, MSG).
We find out in verse 7 that he was actually talking about himself, as he switches to the first person. When I read about his experience, what longing stirs in my spirit! He also recounts to us:
“[He] was… brought into paradise, where he overheard many wondrous and inexpressible secrets that were so sacred that no mortal is permitted to repeat them.” (2 Cor. 12:4, TPT).
Amazing.
Hold on though. Let’s contemplate for a moment the horrendous suffering that this man had also endured. It was horrendous from a human perspective – but Paul called it light and momentary! (You can find a list of everything he went through here.) I see a direct connection between all of his pain, and all of his intimacy with God. Even besides his ecstatic experiences of Paradise, his daily life looks to have become an ongoing experience of God’s breathtaking closeness. And this intimacy spoke to his spirit of the even far greater wonders to come.
So, returning to our original verse today. Holy Spirit bore witness with Paul’s spirit that what he was suffering was miniscule compared to the indescribable good it was working for him. The overwhelming intimacy he was already experiencing was but a foretaste of the glories to come. The word choice “far outweighs them all” was no hyperbole. It was no exaggeration for the sake of effect. It was raw, unadulterated truth. What was coming was going to make the present pain look like nearly nothing.
This is for you and me, today. I know it hurts. Jesus knows it hurts. He is Emmanuel, with us in the middle of the hurt. But He also whispers comfortingly to our hearts, “This is almost over. The night is nearly gone. I promise… it will be incomparably worth it all.”
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Cor. 4:17, NIV).
******************************
Is this perspective of our sufferings within reach for us ordinary people? Is it possible for “everyday Christians” to see our troubles as light and momentary?
Feeding On Jesus 
This is such a good thing to remember. No matter what bumps and bruises that we experience in this life, they will pale in comparison will the glory in eternity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It really changes everything, doesn’t it? Thank You Jesus for helping us keep Your perspective!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully done, thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw thank you so much! 🙂
LikeLike
My comment vanished, Thank you for this post. This world needs Christ’s Light Now to BLAZE through His Redeemed children.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It so does, more than ever! Thank you, too, Faye!
LikeLike
I felt terrible this past Monday, immensely tired. Work seemed insurmountable, a to-do list with too many things to be achievable in a single day. By close of business everything had been ticked off, even some things that had been sitting there for half the previous week.
Go with God and we go with strength that cannot be contained, grace that will help us to forgive our own iniquities, and peace that will help us be comfortable in who we are and where we are at. As you say God sees all of time, in such a way that is far more than we can hope to comprehend. So trust in Him, it’s the best answer to our temporary worldly troubles.
Thank you so much for sharing these words of the Holy Spirit. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rejoicing with you for this testimony of His faithfulness! I know that had to feel great! (Still catching up on my blog comments over here ;D )
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Jennifer, I read your “Far Outweighs Them All” today. Wow, As I read the devotional, I am seeing these words with more understanding than I have before-“far outweighs them all.” Looking into the meaning of “hope” in His word I have found I am to place my hope in eternal life with Him. Your teaching here so confirms this! Love it!! Life has been full of hard stuff to the point of hope deferred making my heart sick- (Proverbs 13:12). Slowly but surely He has helped me to turn my hope in the right direction. ; a hope that is full of closeness in Him and a forever with Him. And today, looking at this verse-2Cor.4:17 I read this outweighs all those painful days. 😀 I’m going to meditate on this!
Love you❣️Ann C.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love you too, Ann. And my spirit rejoices to know that this post was a blessing to you. I know Daddy God has felt every one of your tears and wept with you through those hard days of hope deferred. You are exceedingly precious to HIm, and I know He is far more proud of you than you have even begun to conceive of! Sending you a very big hug with all my love!
LikeLike