“…we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also RAISE US WITH JESUS and PRESENT US TO HIMSELF. All this is for your benefit…Therefore WE DO NOT LOSE HEART. Though outwardly WE ARE WASTING AWAY, yet inwardly we are BEING RENEWED DAY BY DAY. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we FIX OUR EYES not on what is seen, but on WHAT IS UNSEEN, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen IS ETERNAL.” (2 Corin. 4:13-18)
Paul can’t see the way he used to (there were no glasses). He can’t hear the way he used to (there were no hearing aids). He doesn’t recover from beatings the way he used to (there were no antibiotics). His strength, walking from town to town, doesn’t hold up the way it used to. He sees the wrinkles in his face and neck. His memory is not as good. And he admits that this is a threat to his faith and joy and courage. But HE DOES NOT LOSE HEART. Why? He doesn’t lose heart because his inner man is being renewed. How? The renewing of his heart comes from something very strange: it comes from looking at WHAT HE CAN’T SEE.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corin. 5:7) Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit said, “…it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corin. 4:6) What we can’t see with our eyes is the light of the knowledge of the glory of God.
-Bill Stockham