Why didn’t Paul just quit? From time to time in his letters, Paul chronicles his sufferings for Christ. He was hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. This summer we spent time with servants of Christ who have worked in some of the hardest places in the world. They work and wait for many years hoping for a single conversion to Christ. All along the way they face loneliness, isolation, spiritual darkness, potential persecution, and yet they press on for the sake of Christ. Why?
One pastor said, “Your perspective on life depends on where you set up shop. I set up mine at the entrance to an empty tomb.” Of course, Paul knew he was physically fragile and vulnerable. He also knew a Savior who had emerged victorious over death from the tomb. So connected with Christ, he, too anticipated resurrection, even if he died. In Rome this summer, we heard the story of his death. Paul sacrificed so much for the gospel. But the moment he died, he lived in the presence of the Father who welcomed him home with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
What if we saw our sufferings here as momentary and light? Someone will surely say, “Paul did not know my sufferings or he would not have described them that way.” The scriptures never diminish the painfulness of our present suffering. Instead, Paul places them in the perspective of eternity. Compared to eternity, life-long suffering here is only momentary. Just so, compared to the weight of glory revealed in eternity, our sufferings are light. We know our hurts here are real. Imagine how great the eternal glory will have to be to make all we have lost here seem light and momentary. Envision heaven. Christ in you is the hope of glory!
