Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:1 – 6:2

The Corinthian believers were having a struggle understanding why their leaders were going through such difficult times. Some were being told that something must be wrong if their leaders were suffering so severely. Don’t be deceived thinking that people are guilty by association to troubles, suffering, shortages or difficulties. Going through stress, persecution, affliction and difficulties are not incriminating – what we become through it determines if it’s of God or the devil!

Don’t judge others by the outward appearance or circumstances wait for the harvest (outcome) to identify the seed of its origin. Why does God let us go through such difficult times? So we can be on display, revealing to others that our sufficiency is of God and not of ourselves. If we suffer in His death, then we will be victorious in His resurrection. But most importantly of all, Christ will be revealed to a lost and dying world.

The more the flesh is reduced through hard times, the more the spirit man is increased and renewed. Even if our body dies as a result, we become present with the Lord. To live is to reveal Christ and to die is gain – we become present with Christ. Ultimately we will receive a new immortal body in the resurrection when Christ returns.

Our body is but clothing for our spirit. We shed the old clothing in death and put on new clothes in the resurrection. At that time all will come before the Judgment Throne of Christ to answer for their life’s deeds. For the believer, Jesus paid for our sins and bad deeds.  At that time, He will reward us for our good deeds. Those without Christ will pay eternally for their sins.

We are new creations in Christ who is at work in us, old things are passing away and new things are coming into our lives. We must gladly display the reality of God through our difficulties and blessings in life, while looking to reconcile others to God. We must show and tell, not just tell.