Ep 302 – 2 Corinthians 4:8-18

Suffering. Not exactly a topic most of us want to dwell on. But for Paul, suffering was an ever-present reality of his life. He had grown accustomed to it and had learned that it was part and parcel of his life as an apostle of Jesus Christ and a messenger of the good news. You see, Paul had an eternal perspective that allowed him to see present suffering with a future outlook. And in 2 Corinthians 4:8-18, Paul is going to provide the Corinthian believers with a glimpse into how he viewed the trials and tribulations of life. His perspective may sound a bit odd to us, but it is actually the same attitude that Christ had while He was on earth. He knew that His suffering was all a part of God's divine plan. He was fully aware that His rejection by men was inevitable and His death at the hands of man, unavoidable. It had to happen. His death was God's will and the only way in which the sins of man could be atoned for – once and for all. So, Paul had no problem accepting the struggles in his own life. Who was he to think he could escape trials when His sinless Savior had been willing to die a sinner's death on behalf of sinful mankind? Paul didn't like pain. He didn't pursue suffering. But he was willing to accept it when it showed up because he knew how the story ends.