Read the transcript from today's video devotional.
If you've ever suffered for a long time, or maybe you've watched a loved one suffer, man, it is so easy to lose heart, to get discouraged and then eventually get to a place of despair. I remember when I was 18 and the doctor told me, "Val, you have M.S., you have multiple sclerosis," and I had a bunch of questions towards God. I thought, "Lord, why me?" This was right before I was going to go to Ukraine on a mission trip.
I remember reading this verse and I was trying to make sense of it, and I just couldn't make sense of it until I actually started studying this. In 2 Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 17, Paul says, "For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produced for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever."
What Do We Do When Everything Falls Apart?
When I read this text, I asked myself the question: what do we do in those seasons where we feel like everything's falling apart? Paul says, "For your present troubles are small." Compared to what's coming, which is what he says—it's glory that's coming. He's saying these troubles here on earth, they're small compared to what's coming.
We sing a song by Jeremy Camp: "There will be a day with no more tears." That's what Paul's telling us. There's coming a day where there'll be no more pain, no more tears. He's saying while you're going through this pain and suffering on earth, have an eternal perspective, He's saying, glory is coming.
Every now and then we experience the presence of God, and we're like, "Whoa, that was awesome." We get these occasional breakthroughs and we're like, “I want more of that." Paul's saying, "That's coming and that's going to last forever." He's saying, "Don't lose heart because there's coming a day where there will be no more pain."
Practical Steps for Difficult Seasons
Maybe you're listening and you're thinking, "Yeah, but I've been in this season for years and I'm still suffering or I'm still watching a loved one suffer. So, what do I do?" I want to give us some practical steps that we can take.
First: Make God's Word a priority in your life. Let the voice of God rule in your life.
Second: Stay connected to a good, healthy church. You and I are not wired to run this Christian race alone. Do your best to stay encouraged. A lot of times we get that encouragement by being connected to a church.
Third: Make a commitment that no matter what happens, we're going to stay committed to God.
And lastly: Develop a prayer life, because our strength is ultimately found in the presence of God.
