1Therefore, seeing we have this ministry, even as we obtained mercy, we don’t faint. 2But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who are dying, 4in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them. 5For we don’t preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake, 6seeing it is God who said, “Light will 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.
7But we have this treasure in clay vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves. 8We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; 9pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed; 10always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh. 12So then death works in us, but life in you.
13But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, “I believed, and therefore I spoke.” We also believe, and therefore we also speak, 14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
16Therefore we don’t faint, but though our outward person is decaying, yet our inward person is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, 18while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Have you ever found yourself suffering so much that you just couldn’t believe it? Earlier this year, I endured great suffering in the aftermath of treatment for cancer. In the middle of it all, I cried out to God that I couldn’t see any purpose in His letting me suffer so painfully. I was confused. I doubted for a short while whether He was even aware of what I was going through. Holding onto the rails of a hospital bed and writhing in pain, I screamed out, “God, are you even there? What could possibly be the purpose of all of this? Why, Lord, are you allowing me to go through this?” I was in a pretty dark place. It was so bad that I didn’t even want my wife to come see me in that condition, much less congregants from the church. Paul addresses all of your suffering in these short verses. This is how that came home to me.
When I got out of the hospital, after I had recovered enough to leave my home, I went to visit one of my congregants who lives near me. She had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I had visited her many times before my own episode, but this time it was different. I wept with her and understood her suffering in a new and intimate way. As we hugged one another, she said, “Pastor, now you have some idea of exactly how I feel.” And you know what, she was right. Friend, if you are afflicted with something, whether it is a health problem, a marital problem, a financial problem, or anything else, you can now empathize with others who are going through the same thing.
That means you’ve been there and you have the t-shirt. Use that understanding not to throw a pity party, but to minister to others, letting them know that somehow God will use all of this for our good because we love Him and we’re called according to His purpose. These sufferings are temporary. They will not last forever. Paul tells us, “17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, 18 while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18 WEB)