Glorious Weight

 February 11, 2022

“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” —II Corinthians 4:17 

“An eternal weight of glory”—what an interesting phrase! Glory is described as having weight, substance. It’s not merely admiration or praise—this word has…weight! It is heavy, solid, substantive, unlike the empty vanity of this world. Paul says this glory comes through an affliction which is by comparison, light and airy. Most of us wouldn’t describe afflictions this way. They are a weight, an albatross around our necks that we rid ourselves of as soon as possible. 

Maybe too soon. If this glory comes through our “light affliction” ie the trials of this life, and as Paul says in 3:18, from gazing into the face of Jesus, it is clear he links the two together. In other words, we cannot truly see Jesus without trials. It is the troubles of this life that clarify our vision, enabling us to see Christ as we cannot when things are going well. None of us likes the trials, but they are the avenue God uses to enable us to see Christ more clearly. Without them, we would only know Jesus superficially and I sufficiently. The glory of seeing him truly is weighty, and we bear it solemnly, knowing that something greater is coming—something eternal and substantive, far more real than anything we know here and now.