The Choice Is Up to Us

There are bad times. But rather than despair about whether this is the way it is always going to be, I choose to live with the hope of the better days to come. Better ones in this life and forever. The passage in 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verses 16 through 18 are very important  ‘That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 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.’ 

 Paul talks about not losing heart in difficult circumstances, the reality that the outer self will waste away, and the likelihood of affliction. But he balances that out by saying in all this the inner being is being revived, that this is just momentary affliction, it will bring us the eternal weight of Glory and he encourages us to not look at the transient things that can be seen but to hold onto the eternal truth which is presently unseen. This leads us to chapter 5 verse 4 and especially the last phrase ‘While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us.  Rather, we want to put on our new bodies  so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.’ This had been a favorite passage that I used to comfort and encourage others in their losses of loved ones. It has become so much more precious as I apply it to myself in my situation. I am alive and living now, but it is only a small version of what eternal life will be. This is hope. Verse 9 puts the good and the bad days in another perspective, ‘So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him.’ On the bad days I have no right to long for death to avoid the difficulties. On the good days I need to remember ‘The Next Big Change’ is coming closer and closer. On all days I need to make it my goal to please Him.