This Too Shall Pass
Scripture:
“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.”
—2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (NLT)
Let’s be honest. Sometimes life is just plain hard. Paul doesn’t sugarcoat that reality, and neither should we. When he calls our troubles “small” and temporary, he’s not downplaying the pain. He’s lifting our eyes to something greater: a glory that vastly outweighs it all and will last forever. Paul knew what it meant to suffer deeply. But he also knew what it meant to hope confidently in what’s to come.
Perspective is everything. The book of James reminds us that our lives are like a mist, here for a moment and then gone. When seen through the lens of eternity, our suffering, as real as it is, becomes temporary. It won’t always be like this. And it isn’t meaningless. God doesn’t cause every hardship, but He absolutely promises to redeem every one of them. When we stay close to Jesus, our struggles become the very ground where resilient character and unshakable hope take root.
This is the paradox of Kingdom living: we’re called to fix our eyes not on what’s visible, but on what is unseen and eternal. And as we do, our lives become signposts pointing others to a better country, a lasting Kingdom. The peace we carry through hardship may be the very thing God uses to awaken hope in someone else. When the world sees us walking through storms with anchored faith, they catch a glimpse of the risen Savior at work.
God always offers forgiveness when we repent, and He never wastes our pain. Some of what we’re carrying right now is forming something in us that couldn’t be formed any other way. So don’t lose heart. Something far greater is coming. And until it does, even our pain — when surrendered to Him — gains eternal purpose and becomes part of the greater story He is writing. A story that ends in glory.
Reflection:
- What current trouble or trial in your life feels overwhelming, and how does this passage shift your perspective?
- How might God be using your struggle to shape your character or influence someone else’s faith?
- What does it mean for you today to fix your gaze on what is unseen?
Prayer:
Ask God to lift your eyes above your present pain and fix your hope on the eternal glory He has prepared. Thank Him for being with you in every trial, and invite Him to use your life as a testimony of His grace and strength.