I’m Not Home Yet

In review of 2 Corinthians 4:18 it says, “For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever”

Bottom Line:

The things you see today will soon be gone, but the things unseen will last forever. Therefore don’t focus on what is seen, but that which will last.

What this means to me:

So I should not focus at the troubles that I can see right now, rather, I should fix my gaze onto the things cannot be see. The things I see today will soon be gone, but the things I cannot see will last forever.

Today's verse comes from 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 where Paul speaks about being like fragile clay jars containing a great treasure of God's good news. It's like this so that it becomes clear to us that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We may get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we are to fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

It’s important for me to remember that life on Earth is really just a temporary assignment. Knowing and keeping this in mind should alter my values and help me fix my attention on the things that are eternally important.

It would be a fatal mistake to assume that God’s goal for me is material prosperity or popular success as the world would define it. An abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance. Also faithfulness to God will not guarantee success in my career or even my ministry. Thus, I should never focus on temporary crowns.

Afterall, Paul was faithful, yet he ended up in prison. John the Baptist was faithful, but he was beheaded. Millions of faithful people have been martyred, have lost everything, or have come to the end of life with nothing to show for it. But the end of life is not the end!

Today’s verse in 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds me, “For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever” (TEV).

When my life gets tough, when I’m feeling overwhelmed, when I’m with riddled with doubt, or when I wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, I can remember that I’m not home yet. At death I won’t leave home, I’ll be going there.

Today I will consider my goals and perspective. Are they reflecting an eternal perspective?