How can we draw #strength and #encouragement from our hope in the eternal weight of glory God will give on the day of resurrection?

We may experience great distress and trial on the earth; it will remain momentary compared to eternity and light compared to the weight of glory #God will give when we are raised from the dead.

All the sufferings he endured were light and momentary in comparison. 

Paul did not intend to minimize what he endured; he instead exalted and magnified the promised life and glory in the #resurrection. 

If #Paul remained in all the #distress, #grief, and #pain he endured and encountered, he would have been overwhelmed.

Paul did not remain there: he maintained his focus on the hope of the #resurrection and the eternal #weight of #glory God has promised for all who would share in it. 

How could the death and life of Jesus be seen in Paul?  How should it be seen in us?

Life in Christ is not always full of sunshine and rainbows.  Christians will undergo difficulties and distress.  #Christians do well to recognize this and address it. 

But Christians should not remain transfixed in such distress and grief, either.

He had experienced times of trouble, perplexity, persecution, and pain. 

He very much identified with Jesus in His life and sufferings: the #death of Jesus could be seen in Paul.  But the #life of God in Christ could therefore also be seen in him.

For a moment #Paul meditated on the many forms of difficulties he had endured in his #ministry for the Lord #Jesus. 

Why does God work through humans, His earthen vessels / clay jars?

To this end, it should be clear to all how the great things Paul could do were done by God's power in him, and not through his own strength.

Paul had very much experienced the #brokenness and #distress which attended to life in a human body and from hostility from many. 

#God had illuminated #Paul with the glorious #knowledge of His Son #Jesus Christ. 

Yet Paul remained in a #human body, an "earthen vessel" or a "clay jar." 

Why do people reject the glorious Gospel of Christ, He who is the image of God?

We have no need to argue with Paul about this; can we not all think of people who reject #Jesus as the Christ because they have been blinded by their own desires? 

But what about ourselves?  How might we be tempted to be blinded to the truth of the Gospel by the Evil One?

#Paul was not deceptive or duplicitous: he preached the #Gospel openly. 

If the Gospel was veiled, it was only because the #Evil One had blinded the hearts of those who refused to believe. 

How can we behave with great boldness because of the hope we share as Christians?

God has given us of His Spirit; God invites us to be transformed to reflect the image of Jesus and grow in relational unity with Him and with one another in Him, and all through that same Spirit. 

Yet in #Christ God has made Himself known and has displayed great grace and mercy.

The people of God in Christ nurture the hope of #resurrection in the #Spirit, and no longer have or need all those boundaries between them and their God.

The Israelites were afraid because Moses shone with God's reflective glory.

The Law of Moses made sure to keep many walls and boundaries up between God and His people.