Overwhelming Burdens
READ: II Corinthians 4:13-18
Martha walked up to Stewart in the hall one day and said, “Stewart, what’s wrong? You look really upset.”
“Well,” Stewart answered, “Nothing has been going right lately. My grandmother is in the hospital with cancer. That is really stressing my parents out, and they seem to take it out on me. My grades are slipping, and now my girlfriend just broke up with me! Things just aren’t going right, and they don’t really look like they’re going to get any better, either.”
Like Stewart, we have all experienced problems at one time or another. Most of us know that overwhelming feeling of being burdened down by troubles. Sometimes they seem like they will never end. However, the apostle Paul calls these troubles “light and momentary.” We have something much better to look forward to: eternal glory in heaven with our Lord Jesus.
If we focus on our eternal life in heaven, our troubles won’t seem so unbearable. II Corinthians 4:18 says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The next time you are having some troubles that seem overwhelming, I encourage you to focus on our eternal glory. There won’t be any troubles in heaven - everything will be perfect. No matter what may happen to us here on earth, nothing can separate us from the glory that awaits us in heaven.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Why does God send us troubles and afflictions? What should we do when we are experiencing problems? What can we do when we see other people having troubles?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Ask God to help you patiently endure all the problems that come into your life. Thank Him for sending His Son, so we can look forward to our eternal life with Him in heaven. Pray for those who are going through some difficult times right now.