2 Cor:5:14 Christ's love controls us. Christ's love compels us. It pushes us to obey radically, illogically (in world's eye view). There are people who forsake a lucrative career and prospective of earning tonnes, to go out to the unreached. There are people who forsake scholarships to Oxford and Yale and high scores in competitive exams, just to obey what their Father has told them. I know such people personally. But did they gain something (in accordance to the standards of the world)? Nothing. They have only lost. But they go back, contented, satisfied, knowing fully that they obeyed what their Father has told them to do, in His wonderful and perfect plan. Because this God's love compels them. In the middle of joint pains and frustrations, if you have been available for your brother. In the middle of your prospective career growth, if you are taking an off route, because you felt called to do something different. When others are running in on...
2 Cor:4:18 For the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal. Unless we live with this perspective, there is no hope, there is no strength to endure, there is no sap left to hold on. For endurance depends on your ability to look beyond the physical to the spiritual, beyond the present to the eternal and beyond the visible to the invisible. It is not imaginary. But a reality into which we place our trust. Therefore our afflictions though may appear heavy when we face it, it is in reality light and momentary, for the glory awaiting is much more heavy - far beyond any comparison. So look forward. Look beyond. Focus on eternal things. Store up treasures in heaven and not here in this earth. Set your heart in treasures above. That will help you to face your afflictions here on this side of eternity. That will help you to have faith and put your trust in the One who called you. He will not leave you half way. He who has taken care of your et...