Paul could share these words with the Corinthians because he had lived them. He had been through so much; imprisoned, beaten repeatedly, left to die, and yet he never lost heart. Why? Because he had an inextinguishable flame that burned within him, the resurrected life of Jesus Christ whom he loved and served. Moreover, the inward renewal that takes place when Christ lives within us overcomes the outward destruction of the flesh. Seen in the light of eternity, the Christian’s difficulties, whatever they may be, diminish in importance when compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. This eternal glory, by comparison. is far greater than all the suffering one may face in this life. But the pains and trials of this life are what we see and so Paul tells us his secret, to fix our eyes on what is unseen, what lies ahead for us: our eternal hope. The trials in our present lives, no matter how painful or perplexing, are temporary, fleeting if you will, here today and gone tomorrow. But what awaits us is for all eternity. We need to develop God’s perspective, an eternal perspective. Paul did and that is what kept him such a vibrant Christian. He knew the secret to a life of joy in Christ. So do not lose heart, dear brothers and sisters, look up and be encouraged "for your deliverance draweth nigh."

Father, help us to fix our eyes on the unseen. Keep our eyes fixed on You and the hope of our calling. Keep us from looking at our circumstances and judging life based on that. Help us to look at the big picture and to see that all of life’s circumstances will bring us to the place we long to be: home with You. Amen