There are times in our lives when we feel discouraged. The economy is seldom steady for long, politics among nations lead to uncertainties, and accident or illness in ourselves or in those we love is a constant threat. We will suffer from time to time. Heartache over a loved one or failures in our ventures eventually arrive. Sometimes problems come in bunches. We use the idiom, “When it rains, it pours.” During those times, we need a loftier goal. We need to be reminded that eternity is much larger than the here and now. We need to know about the “glory that shall be revealed” (Romans 8:18).
No doubt we can all say that talk is cheap and we want our present distress to fade. Our prayers all too often are dependent upon God taking away our suffering now—this instant. If He does that, then we can focus on the future. That is not the way Paul saw it and wrote under the inspiration of God. We do suffer, and it is good to pray for relief. However, our prayers always need the acceptance of the condition we are in as well. Thy will be done (Matthew 26:42). Jesus endured the suffering and won the eternal victory. Lift up your eyes and see that God is always there, and praise Him in our sufferings.