What Makes the Weight of Our Suffering Feel Light？ — John Piper

Suffering Made Light by Eternal Glory

We do not lose heart because this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory. Look at this, he says, look at this. What do you see when you look at verse 17? You see him calling his affliction, which lasted a lifetime, momentary.

Paul's Lifelong Suffering Without Retirement

Paul, you realize, I'm 67, people are supposed, you're supposed to retire, right? Paul suffered until the sword severed his head from his body. There was no year or two of fishing or golf. If Paul was gonna have a retirement, it would be post-beheading.

The Resurrection as the Ground of Christian Hope

So if he didn't have this, he had nothing. He said, if there's no resurrection from the dead, I'm an idiot. That's what he said, 1 Corinthians 15. He called his lifelong beatings and shipwreck and sleepless nights and agony for the church, he called it momentary.

The Contrast Between Momentary Affliction and Eternal Glory

You see that there in verse 17? This light momentary, he called it light and he called it momentary. That's crazy. That's not what you see. You look at it, you say, 60 years. 50, I'm not sure how old he was when he died.

Long time, 20, 30 years of relentless imprisonments and persecution. And he calls it momentary and he calls it light and you see also, don't you, the contrast between momentary in verse 17 is eternal and the contrast with light is weight.

So let's read it again, notice those parallels. His light momentary affliction is preparing for him an eternal, that corresponds to momentary, weight, that corresponds to light, of glory. So he could see, see?

Seeing Glory Beyond the Grave

See, really? You can't see, but he saw beyond the grave, according to promise, he saw glory. The glory of God that would be seen and the glory of God that would be given to him and it made his lifelong suffering look momentary and it made the weight of the pain look light.

Christ's Promise of Rest for the Weary

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. You are kidding me. You gotta die for Jesus, you're gonna call that light?

Looking to Unseen Glory in the Midst of Suffering

Yes, why? Because I look to the unseen, what? Glory, glory beyond the grave that's gonna so make up for this brief life. It will look momentary and it will look light. That's the unseen you gotta look at.