READING: 2 Corinthians 4
Paul begins this epistle with thanksgiving for God’s comfort in his hardships (1:1–11) and then explains that his delay in visiting the Corinthians was not due to wavering, but to give them sufficient time to repent (1:12–2:4). He asks them to restore the repentant offender (2:5–13) and goes on to defend the conduct, content, and motivation of his ministry among them (2:14–6:10). After an exhortation to be separate from defilement (6:11–7:1), Paul describes the encouragement he received from Titus’s report (7:2–16).
In spite of the many adversities he has encountered, Paul does not lose heart (4:1, 16), because he has developed an eternal perspective on temporal affliction. As he wrote in Romans 8:18, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Prayer
Lord, thank You that momentary, light affliction is producing for me an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. May I set my heart on the things which are not seen.
Meditation passage: verses 6–7, 16–18
