We Do Not Lose Heart

Scripture Focus

“So we do not lose heart. 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, 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 4:16–18 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

I feel this one. Every single day. And the older I get, the more I can feel it! When Paul says, “Though our outer self is wasting away,” I know exactly what he’s talking about. There are things I used to do without giving them a second thought that now require a little more effort. There are aches and pains that seem to appear out of nowhere, and sometimes I discover muscles I didn’t even know I had because they’ve decided to start hurting! The reality is that these physical bodies of ours are wearing out. We can take care of ourselves, eat right, exercise, and do everything possible to remain healthy, but we cannot stop the aging process. And if I believed this life was all there is, I think I’d be getting pretty nervous about that!

But thankfully, this life isn’t all there is. In fact, for those of us who belong to Jesus Christ, the best is still ahead of us. Paul has already reminded us back in verse 7 that we’re like jars of clay, fragile vessels carrying the extraordinary treasure of the Gospel. Now he reminds us of another truth about those vessels. They’re not going to last forever. These physical bodies are temporary, and eventually they’re going to wear out. But notice how Paul begins this passage. Before he even mentions our physical decline, he makes this declaration: “So we do not lose heart.”

I think that’s an important encouragement because losing heart is a very natural response to the changes and difficulties we experience in life. As we grow older, we begin noticing things that aren’t changing for the better. Our strength diminishes, our bodies don’t always cooperate with what our minds want to accomplish, and sometimes we become discouraged. We may still be mentally alert, perhaps even wiser than we were when we were younger, but we’re tempted to believe our most useful days are behind us. And I’m sure that’s exactly what our spiritual enemy would love for us to believe. If he can convince us that we’re no longer useful to God, perhaps we’ll simply sit down and quit.

But that’s not the biblical answer. Paul says, “Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” What a wonderful contrast! While our physical bodies are growing weaker, God is continuing His work within us. We can still grow in wisdom, faith, patience, and our understanding of His Word. We can become more spiritually mature even as our physical strength declines. In fact, some of the strongest Christians I’ve ever known have been people whose bodies were failing them but whose faith was stronger than ever. Our usefulness to God isn’t determined by our physical abilities, and His work in our lives doesn’t stop simply because we’re getting older.

Then Paul makes an extraordinary statement. He describes the difficulties of this life as “light momentary affliction.” Now, remember who’s writing these words! This is the Apostle Paul, a man who experienced beatings, imprisonment, persecution, and tremendous suffering because of his faith in Jesus Christ. Yet he calls those experiences light and momentary. Was he suggesting that suffering isn’t real or that pain doesn’t matter? Of course not! Paul understood suffering better than most of us ever will. But he was looking at his circumstances from a completely different perspective. He was measuring them against eternity.

And when we begin looking at life that way, everything changes. Even if we live to be a hundred years old, what is that compared to eternity? The difficulties we face in this life, as overwhelming as they may sometimes seem, will one day appear as nothing more than a blip on the screen when viewed from eternity. Not because those difficulties weren’t real or painful, but because the glory awaiting us will be so much greater. Paul says these temporary afflictions are preparing for us “an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Think about that contrast. Our afflictions are light, but the glory is weighty. Our afflictions are momentary, but the glory is eternal. And the glory God has prepared for His children is beyond anything we can presently imagine.

So how do we maintain that kind of perspective? Paul gives us the answer in verse 18. We must learn to look beyond the things we can see and focus upon the things that are unseen. The problem is that the temporary things are right in front of us. We can see the wrinkles appearing on our faces. We can feel the aches in our joints. We can see the problems in our world and the difficulties confronting us each day. But we cannot see heaven with our physical eyes. We cannot yet see the glory God has prepared for us or fully understand what He is accomplishing through our present circumstances. Yet those unseen realities are the things that will last forever.

And that’s why Paul can say, “We do not lose heart.” His confidence wasn’t based upon his circumstances improving or his physical strength returning. His confidence was rooted in the eternal promises of God. And ours should be, too. We may not be able to serve the Lord in exactly the same ways we once did, but that doesn’t mean He’s finished with us. As long as He gives us breath, there are opportunities to love Him, serve Him, encourage others, and share the Gospel.

So, don’t lose heart. Yes, these bodies of ours are wearing out. Yes, life can be difficult, and there will be days when we feel the weight of our circumstances more heavily than others. But for those who belong to Christ, the best isn’t behind us. The best is still ahead of us! Every passing day brings us one day closer to the fulfillment of everything God has promised.

Our outer selves may be wasting away, but our inner selves are being renewed day by day. The difficulties we face are temporary, but the glory awaiting us is eternal. And when we keep that perspective, we have every reason to persevere in faith and never lose heart.

That’s my prayer for you today.

Reflection Questions

Have you ever become discouraged by the physical changes or difficulties that come with aging or the circumstances of life? How does Paul’s encouragement speak to you?
Paul says our inner selves are being renewed day by day. How have you experienced God’s continuing work of spiritual renewal in your life?
How does viewing your present struggles from an eternal perspective change the way you respond to them?
Are you focusing more on the temporary things you can see or the eternal promises of God?

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding me that this life is not all there is. Lord, I know that my physical body is growing older and that there are things I can no longer do as easily as I once did. Sometimes those changes can be discouraging, and it’s easy to become so focused on the limitations of this life that I lose sight of the glorious future You’ve promised me. Help me remember that even as my outer self is wasting away, You are continuing Your work of renewal within me day by day. Strengthen my faith, deepen my understanding of Your Word, and help me grow in wisdom and spiritual maturity. When difficulties come, remind me that they are temporary and that the glory awaiting Your children is beyond anything we can imagine. Give me the courage to persevere, the willingness to continue serving You for as long as You give me breath, and the eternal perspective I need to keep from losing heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.