Our Troubles and Eternal Glory

Readings:
Job 37
II Corinthians 4:13-18

Focus:
II Corinthians 4:17: "Our troubles are slight and short-lived, and their outcome is an eternal glory which far outweighs them."

When we are going through troubles, it does not always seem like they are slight and short-lived. Cancer and other illnesses can be agonizingly long. Some people are desperately poor, or enslaved, or unjustly imprisoned. There are children dying of hunger. These are not slight, short-lived troubles.

Yet compared with an eternity spent in the presence of God, these troubles are slight and short-lived. When we know God, his spirit with us helps us to endure our troubles as we await our future with him.

This does not mean we should not fight injustice or work to end illness and poverty. But it does give us hope as we go through trouble--glorious hope.