Light Affliction?

II Corinthians 4: 17

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.

Paul's sufferings often brought him close to death, yet he could say that they are "momentary," "temporary," and "light," not heavy. And they cannot even compare with the enormous weight of glory that we will be rewarded with, and will last forever, will never end.

It's like we're in school here. We learn lessons, we take tests, we go on field trips. But after we graduate and apply all the knowledge we learned in the fulfilling work we can now do, we can look back at the schooling, all the hard studying, hard tests, rugged terrain; and say it was all worth it. 

Even more, when we've finished our course here and gone on to glory, we will be able to say with Paul, "it was nothing!" It was only through the hardship, the pain, the sorrow, that we learned how gentle, how healing, how soothing and comforting our God is. 

And by it all we can learn to be to others how our Father is to us, showing the World His character and personality. His goodness and graciousness. How He loves all of us so freely and greatly.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!