For Now, Hardships Are Better

“Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.” (2Co 12:5 AV)

 

To glory here means to boast.  In a good or bad way.  To relay an account of an event as very important or the most important.  Of what Paul is speaking is his near-death experience at Lystra.  While he preached at Lystra, an angry mob took him to the outer city limits and stoned him to death.  Or, that was the account of the disciples at the time.  They took him up supposing him to be dead.  It is this experience which Paul relays in the first four chapters of this book.  He was caught up to the third heaven.  Of note, he never claims to have died.  In fact, he goes out of his way to say that he cannot know for sure if he did or did not.  What he does know is that he was caught up to the third heaven; that is, where God’s throne is; and hears things that were unlawful for him to share.  If I were Paul, I would broadcast all over the known world what I had seen.  What is interesting is this is the only account of Paul relating what he experienced while in the presence of God.  If he were to boast of anything, it would be the honor he had of suffering for the name of Christ.  That is what he desires his life to be about.  Not the eventual home in heaven which he will enjoy.  Rather, if he would glory it would be in his infirmities.  That is, that he can experience hardships for the call of God on his life.

Every few years, there comes an author who publishes a book regaling his or her near-death experience.  Or, a holiness saint will spew on about a vision he or she had of heaven.  Speaking engagements are scheduled.  Book tours are organized.  They even might make it one some day-time talk show.  The popularity of the book sweeps through evangelicalism.  The saints that should know better are even taken up with it.  They reckon if it is popular and all their friends are talking about it, then there must be something to it.  In the not too distant past, one author was actually honest about his experience and said it was all a fake to earn him fame and fortune.  The saint that knows his bible knows that if Paul could not speak of what he saw or heard and only the Apostle John was allowed, then these modern authors who claim visions or near-death experiences are all a farce.  Besides, Paul shows us that if we are to be blessed, let us be blessed by what we will do for Christ in this life and not what we will experience in the next.  We cannot control the day of our departure.  It will be a glorious day.  No doubt.  We can read of heaven in the book of Revelation.  We can dream of the golden streets and the river of life.  We can imagine what eternity will be like.  But if we are to glory, let us glory not in what we will experience, but in that which we can do now!

In reading this verse, it reminded me how much Paul tried to keep the present and eternity in balance.  He states, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.” (Php 1:23-24 AV)  Every one of us desires our permanent home in heaven.  We study and imagine what our mansion might look like.  Recently, I have been meditating on my reaction upon seeing Jesus for the first time face to face.  I imagine I will be so overcome and intimidated that I will fall prone and never want to get up!  But to dwell on heaven to the exclusion of our duties on earth is not what Paul had in mind.  He could have joined the speaking circuit and preached nothing but what he had seen in heaven.  It would have packed out the crowds.  In doing so, his preaching would have been about him and his experience.  What he would rather do is preach Christ and suffer loss because of it.  He would rather boast about what he has sacrificed and lost than what he would eventually gain.  What a balance!