Momentary light affliction

16/11/11 2 Corinthians 3-6

S: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defence. We serve God whether people honour us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

O: Jesus told us “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) When we seek to follow Christ in a world which is opposed to Him, it is not surprising that we will encounter opposition and problems.

A: We can be steadfast in Christ in spite of tribulation, because "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passin' thru... my treasures are laid up away beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore!"

P: Father, give me courage to live according to Your Truth. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Note: this is using the SOAP method. For more information, see this page (not written by me.)