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. 2 Corinthians 4:18
Having grown up as a traditional Baptist I hadn’t strayed very far away from the hymnal I was familiar with, so when I heard a new style of church music for the first time it made a real impression on me. As a young Marine assigned to work as a chaplain’s assistant one of my duties was to facilitate the Sunday morning nondenominational worship service. And I’ll never forget hearing the prisoners, mostly African Americans, sing songs I’d never heard before. They were songs that had been passed down from generation to generation, and none of the prisoners needed a song sheet to read the lyrics for they all new them by heart.
Many of these songs originated from slaves and gave hope to those who had no real hope of ever knowing freedom. Many of these slaves had come to hear the Gospel and would gain strength from what portions of the Bible they heard and would put them to music and requotes to be passed along. Paraphrased quotes like “troubles don’t last always,” were taken straight from 2 Corinthians 4:18. These quotes and songs became musical proverbs they would sing out in the fields helping them get through another day of grueling labor and often harsh conditions. These songs brought them hope and strength when all seemed hopeless.
Now more than ever we can still find hope in these words of faith. When surrounding darkness seems so dark and circumstance, trouble and confusion seems to rule the day we can take sullies in knowing that trouble really doesn’t last always. As Paul tells us these “troubles we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” I’m so thankful that the love of God, the blood of Jesus and the Father’s mercy that is new every morning will all outlast any momentary troubles we may face.
Today, be reminded and encouraged in knowing that what trouble we may be going through today won’t last forever, but His love and promises surely will.