“As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18
September 15, 2022
Physical suffering is both a visible and an invisible experience. It can be explained this way: “…if all you see is what you see, then you do not see all there is to be seen!…we need to open our eyes by faith to unseen realities that will last forever” (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary). Thank you, Tony, for stating the truth so clearly. There are dangers that accompany affliction. One is that we can limit ourselves to focusing on the duration and depth of what’s hurting us. How can we communicate the eternal significance of suffering to others? My wife and I know a husband and wife who are battling his cancer and the toll chemotherapy is taking on his body. However, their unselfishness is the gospel on display. They are hospitable, welcoming family and friends into their home. There is no cloud of complaint hanging over their heads. They go about their daily responsibilities and visits to ten different doctors with joy. They walk through the door of opportunity to share Christ with others. The husband’s friendships with an old high school classmate and a neighbor have led to their coming to faith in Jesus Christ. The wife makes phone calls to keep up with people and reaching out to fellow sufferers. The husband has a long prayer list of those for whom he intercedes daily. They are not allowing their semi-shut in life turn them into recluses. How does the suffering Christian live out the invisible realities of faith and hope in Christ and the eternal rewards of heaven? On a personal level, our eyes have been made to see the invisible made visible in the lives of our dear friends. We don’t close our eyes to the realities of pain and suffering. It is our faith in Christ that opens our eyes to what is not seen. H
“Our Father refreshes us on the journey with some pleasant inns, but will not encourage us to mistake them for home.” C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain