In the early days of the church, many believers faced intense persecution and opposition. They were beaten, imprisoned, and even killed for their faith. It was a difficult and trying time, and it's no wonder that many of them wanted to give up and lose heart.

 

But in this passage, Paul encourages the Corinthians to persevere and not lose heart, even in the face of adversity. He reminds them that their troubles are only temporary, and that there is an eternal glory that awaits them. He urges them to fix their eyes on what is unseen, on the hope that they have in Christ, rather than on the troubles of this world.

 

We too can take heart from Paul's words, especially in difficult times. When life seems overwhelming and our troubles seem too great to bear, we can remember that our hope is not in this world, but in Christ. We can trust that God is at work, even when we can't see it, and that he is using our struggles to shape us and make us more like him.

 

So today, let's fix our eyes on what is unseen. Let's trust in God's plan for our lives, even when it's hard to see. Let's persevere through our troubles, knowing that they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

 

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your promise that you are with us always, even in the midst of our struggles. Help us to fix our eyes on what is unseen, on the hope that we have in you. Give us the strength to persevere through our trials, knowing that they are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. Help us to trust in your plan for our lives, even when we can't see it. Amen.