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哥林多后书：4：16-18：16所以，我们不丧胆。外体虽然毁坏，内心却一天新似一天。17我们这至暂至轻的苦楚，要为我们成就极重无比永远的荣耀。18原来我们不是顾念所见的，乃是顾念所不见的；因为所见的是暂时的，所不见的是永远的。

人们常说“不放弃”，这是有道理的。这正是电影《洛奇》所展示的主题，这部电影的主人公是个拳击手，这部电影讲述的是他无论被打得多惨，都不放弃，最后获胜的故事。只不过，电影展示的是人类的勇气和坚持。保罗在这里谈论的是更伟大的事，因为这是神藉着他的恩典赐予我们的灵里的坚持。保罗说我们外体虽然毁坏，内心却一天新似一天。这是上帝的恩典在我们里面动工。这种坚持是神圣的，是被神的恩典所驱动的。

洛伦·斯蒂尔是我认识的最优秀的传福音的人之一，他开拓了针对华人和苗族的福音事工，即使上帝接他回天家后，这项工作依然持续了很久。我曾经问他，他传福音的秘诀是什么。他想了一会儿，说道：“去，回去，再次回去。”这很好的定义了我们基督徒的生命。我们永远不会放弃。

你听到保罗是如何描述他生命中的苦楚？“至暂至轻。”你也可以把保罗的这句话应用到你所面临的困难处境，你所经历的苦难并不像你想象的那么严重，而且它们也不会永远持续下去。而且苦难最终会成为上帝恩典的来源，因为这苦难为我们成就了极重无比且永远的荣耀，当你在上帝恩典的激励之下坚持到底，你将进入那永恒的荣耀。有上帝的恩典作动力，我们就是拒绝放弃。

祷告：主耶稣，与你为我们预备的永恒荣耀相比，我今日面临的苦楚只是至轻至暂的。请你今日赐给我忍耐和坚持，使我不会疲惫，不会放弃。祷告奉你的名。阿们。

 2 Corinthians 4: 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (NIV)

There’s something to be said about not giving up. That was the theme of the “Rocky” movies that featured a fighter who won just because he refused to give up no matter how hard he was beaten. Only, that movie spoke of human courage and endurance. Paul is speaking about something so much greater, because it is a spirit of endurance that is given to us by God’s grace.  Paul says that we may be wasting away on the outside, but on the inside we are being renewed day by day. That’s God’s grace at work in us. It’s a holy endurance, a grace driven persistence.

I once asked Loren Steele, one of the best evangelists I ever knew, what his secret was. He started mission work both with Hmong and Chinese that has persisted long after God took him to heaven. He thought for a moment and said, “Go, go back, go back again.” That’s what defines our Christian life. We just don’t ever give up.

Did you hear what Paul called his troubles? “Light and momentary.” You can apply that to whatever troubles you are facing today.  Your troubles are not as heavy as you imagine they are. And they won’t last forever.  Even our troubles become a source of God’s grace, because they are working in us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  Fueled by God’s grace, we just refuse to give up.

Prayer:   Lord Jesus, the troubles that I face today are only light and momentary compared to the eternal glory that you have prepared for us! Give me patience and endurance for this day so that I will not grow weary and give up.  I ask this in your name.  Amen.