Verse By Verse Devotional by Pastor Jack on 2 Corinthians #115

Affliction Produces Glory (4:17)

4:17 "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison."

It’s completely contrary to instinct, but it is the clear teaching of Scripture: Affliction produces glory.

Paul does not mean, of course, that affliction IN AND OF ITSELF produces glory or else the people who suffered most would be saved and the rest lost. Rather, it is affliction ENDURED IN FAITH which produces glory. When a person responds to affliction by growing bitter, it produces no glory at all. But when we trust God in the midst of affliction, when we make Him our rest and take Him to be our strength and trust His will to be better than our own, then our afflictions prepare us for the glory of heaven.

When we are afflicted, we tend to be completely absorbed in our affliction. But God always ALWAYS wants us to be absorbed in Him above all else. When we are absorbed in our afflictions, we are living as if our afflictions are the biggest thing. But God is always the biggest thing. And when a person endures afflictions in faith, he remembers that God is much bigger than his sufferings.

Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7), and yet the stones seemed like nothing to him because he was captivated by the vision of Christ’s glory.

Those who live on this earth impressed by the bigness of God -- those who live as though everything else is small in comparison -- are storing up for themselves treasures in heaven. And the harder the trial, the more glory they store up for themselves. Affliction produces glory.

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.” (James 1:2)

Our Father in heaven, make Your name holy in my eyes. Help me to see Your power and the wonders of Your grace. Help me to see that Your grace is far greater than the greatest injury that can ever be done to me on earth. Help me to be consumed not with the injustices of others against me, but with You, with Your great might and Your precious mercies. Like Paul and Stephen, may all else seem light and momentary to me.