Keeping an Eternal Perspective
As Paul was nearing the end of 1 Corinthians he included some instructional encouragement. He started with:
- 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
- Stay alert
- We have an adversary
- 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
- Continue in your reliance upon and assurance in Christ
- We have a faithful Savior
- 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
- Act courageously
- We have been equipped to overcome fear
- 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
- Increase in strength
- We have the Holy Spirit’s power
- Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
But in the weakness of our flesh, we are in danger of:
- Letting our guard down
- Worrying rather than trusting
- Focusing on our fears
- Relying on our strength rather than God’s
In 2 Corinthians, Paul provides a great strategy to guard against these vulnerabilities:
- 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- We honor God by Keeping an Eternal Perspective:
- Our temporary sufferings serve much greater purposes and have eternal implications
- Don’t be blinded by the temporary things that you see, focus on the eternal truths revealed in faith
As with so much of our daily walk with Christ, it comes down to faith.
- Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
- Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Prayer:
Father, please help me to keep an eternal perspective. Guard me against pride when things are going well. Lift me out of despair when life gets tough. Keep me focused on You and Your eternal plans and purposes regardless of my personal circumstances. Help me to remember it is not all about me. Use my weaknesses to show Your strength. Make me an encouragement to others. Enable me to comfort others with the comfort You have given me. Your word is truth because it stands, unshakeable, unchanging, for all eternity. May I rest in Your truth. I praise You, I seek You, I pray to You, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
