Don't Give Up

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NLT)

¹⁷ 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! ¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we 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.

I wonder what it was like for the followers of Jesus in the days immediately after His resurrection. Sure, they had amazing opportunities to see Jesus and know that He was risen, but what kind of opposition did they face from their friends and family? What was life going to look like now that Jesus was gone and they were commissioned to go out and make disciples? Even though 2 Corinthians 4 had not yet been written, I believe those early Christ followers must have known its principle: Don't focus on these immediate problems, but fix your gaze on things you cannot see. In other words, have a longer view instead of a shorter one. 
It is the same for us today. The struggles we are having here on earth are only temporary compared to eternity with Jesus. That is why, as verse 16 says, we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed day by day. Please understand, I am not making light of your current struggles or afflictions...I have them, too. Recently, I was praying about a situation that seemed so very dark and bleak to me, but the Lord prompted my heart to look past the darkness...not to be tempted to look to the sides or back, but to look straight ahead and keep my focus on Him. Here are 3 things I jotted down to help us keep our focus:
#1 Faith looks ahead knowing our Lord goes before us. The Lord is my shepherd.
#2 Faith walks steady knowing our Lord directs us, guides us, steadies us. Your rod and your staff  comfort me.
#3 Faith listens carefully knowing He will speak. My sheep know my voice. 
Don't give up! Set your gaze firmly on Jesus and walk in faith!