-Strength For Today- "And This Too Shall Pass" 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18

Agree & Join LinkedIn

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

Sign in to view more content

Create your free account or sign in to continue your search

Sign in

Welcome back

Email or phone Password Show Forgot password? Sign in

or

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

New to LinkedIn? Join now

or

New to LinkedIn? Join now

By clicking Continue to join or sign in, you agree to LinkedIn’s User Agreement, Privacy Policy, and Cookie Policy.

Skip to main content

This common phrase, “This too shall pass” has a long history, but the origin ca not be pinned down to one person. This quote is a reminder for us all that regardless of how the happenstances of life, and how it has dealt us its hand for us to play in life, it will soon pass. Therefore, we can say the one occurring thing in life that is viable in the universe is change.

In life we are given the choice to become aligned with the righteousness of God, or to settle in the nest of disobedience, these choices, I believe, aligns with what the poet Rudyard Kipling said in his poem "IF" when he wrote, “If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same”. These words from the second stanza of this famous poem has phrases that is often attributed to the New Testament, except that it is not there.

This quote is close but not the exact inspired words of the Bible, the verses in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 talks about troubles being temporary. “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

From the cradle to the coffin, affliction and sorrow are the appointed lot of man.

• He comes into the world with a wailing cry, and
• He often leaves it with an agonizing groan.

Well is this earth called “a valley of tears,” for it is wet with them in infancy, youth, manhood, and old age. In every land, in every climate, scenes of misery and wretchedness everywhere meet the eye, besides those deeper griefs and heart-rending sorrows which lie concealed. But this is not all. The scene of life does not end here. On this earth,

• Our vision only allows us to see up to death, but
• We do not see beyond death.

To see a man die without Christ is like standing at a distance, and seeing a man fall from a lofty cliff, we see him fall, but we do not see the crash on the rocks below. So we see a man die, but when we gaze upon the lifeless corpse, in the case of him who dies without a saving interest in Christ, we do not see how his soul falls with a mighty crash upon the rock of God’s eternal justice.

Even though we cannot see beyond the vail, we can appreciate that the promises of God’s Word are true. You see,

• Bad times do not always pass, and
• Things do not always get better.

We experience a lot of things in life that do not pass. There are some areas in life that leaves a scar like a long ago injury it’s evidence. The Bible never promises if you simply wait it out life will get better. What it does say is that “the things which are not seen are eternal”.

Now, that is a big difference. One of the reasons we as Christians are able to survive the pitfalls and problems of this world is we know they simply do not compare with the hope we have in heaven! For all of our focus on the here and now, I need to make this clear.

• Eternity matters.
• Heaven matters.

You see, heaven is not a “reward” for being good. It’s the home we were created for, made possible for us in Christ Jesus. Paul is saying that not only do our current problems rank unimpressive in comparison to that which is yet to come, because they are actually preparing us for that eternity. Our problems are not simply meant to be born like another burden.

They are the crucible in which God tempers us and forms us to be ready for eternity! In life there will be pain and the ever presence of problems, but He promises to “never leave us nor forsakes us”. But through it all, He ask us to trust Him enough with our trials that He will uses to prepare us for glory.

The hope we have in the grand adventure of heaven. The Joy of life in sweet communion with God. Sin, pain, and hurt all fade away as we become all God has planned for us to become. Will all things pass? No, but that’s OK. Because they are unimpressive in comparison to with what is waiting for us. Let’s hold on to that hope, even in the midst of the crucible times of our lives!

Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD

Like Like Celebrate Support Love Insightful Funny Comment

• Copy
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• X

Share 362 24 Comments Carrie Eaton 11mo

• Report this comment

Truth

Like Reply 1 Reaction Dean Zanghi 2y

• Report this comment

I applaud the way you make bold statements, and can see you have a firm grasp on scripture, but Plez, I have to say this, and you can disagree with me, I don't care, I just like to strive for the truth. The statements seen here, made by you, seem a bit blunt, and a bit in conflict with other things you say, such as when you discuss how things are temporary and change: Bad times do not always pass, and Things do not always get better. I think they do. I don't think you properly explained who this applies to. If someone disobeys God's commandments, rejects God's son, Jesus, and has unrepentant sin, which leads them to hell, well I would apply those statements to that particular person. I read the article, but I believe with a devout relationship with God, we ought to realize the bad will pass away forever, and things will remain to be so much better (incomparably so) than anything we could have ever imagined while we were on this earth. Perhaps I'm picking your article apart a bit too much here, and it may simply be an issue of semantics. Take care folks, Jesus is coming back to sort everything out!

Like Reply 2 Reactions 3 Reactions Alana Watkins 2y

• Report this comment

Wonderful Word!

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions Shalondra Dale 2y

• Report this comment

This word of understanding and encouragement of God in what He has in-store for His people is amazing. In there was many things written that I never looked at as a believe of Christ that I see and understand Soo much better in for that I'm grateful. God bless the hands who wrote this word of encouragement. And God bless each in everyone of you who have read this beautiful word🙏🏾☝🏾❤️❤️❤️. It's about Jesus.

Like Reply 1 Reaction 2 Reactions See more comments

To view or add a comment, sign in

More articles by Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD

• -Strength for Today- “Bamboozled.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13. Mar 9, 2022

  -Strength for Today- “Bamboozled.” - Ecclesiastes 12:13.

  Most of us at one time or the other have been: “bamboozled” or “deceived,” “duped,” or out wittingly “hoodwinked” by…

  19
• -Strength for Today- "Why God Cannot Be Defeated." - Proverbs 20:31. Mar 8, 2022

  -Strength for Today- "Why God Cannot Be Defeated." - Proverbs 20:31.

  Back in 2020, CeCe Winans’ recording “Never Lost” is an expression of “the “infallible nature of God.” And how that our…

  15 3 Comments
• -Strenght for Today- Is There a Place Where I Can Find Rest?” - Matthew 11:28-30. Mar 6, 2022

  -Strenght for Today- Is There a Place Where I Can Find Rest?” - Matthew 11:28-30.

  The best moments any of us have as human beings are those moments when for a little while it’s is possible “to escape…

  8
• -Strenght for Today- “The Disastrous Result of Greed.” - 1 Corinthians 6:7-10. Mar 5, 2022

  -Strenght for Today- “The Disastrous Result of Greed.” - 1 Corinthians 6:7-10.

  The dictionary says that greed is an “intense,” and “selfish desire for something,” such as “money” and “power, “at the…

  7
• -Strenght for Today- “The Favor of God.” - Psalm 30:5. Mar 4, 2022

  -Strenght for Today- “The Favor of God.” - Psalm 30:5.

  God’s favor is a big deal, it’s right up there with “faith,” “grace,” and “the mercy of God.” “Favor is mentioned in…

  8 1 Comment
• -Strenght for Today- “The Quest for Identity.” - Philippians 3:13-15. Mar 3, 2022

  -Strenght for Today- “The Quest for Identity.” - Philippians 3:13-15.

  I can testify that that “there were seasons” that I “spent in worldly drought,” seeking “with exceeding vigor” to find…

  5
• -Strength for Today- “The Breaking News about God’s Peace.” - Philippians 4 Mar 2, 2022

  -Strength for Today- “The Breaking News about God’s Peace.” - Philippians 4

  When it comes to “Breaking News,” you can always count on “some sort of disaster,” whether it’s “a natural one,” or “a…

  5
• -Strength for Today- “Get the Most Out of Your Life!” - Philippians 2:5. Mar 1, 2022

  -Strength for Today- “Get the Most Out of Your Life!” - Philippians 2:5.

  All people have one thing in common, and that is “an awaken sense of valued worth.” Because most people “are on a…

  6
• -Strength for Today- "The Healing Needed for America . - Philippians 2:5-6. Feb 27, 2022

  -Strength for Today- "The Healing Needed for America . - Philippians 2:5-6.

  As this month is concluding, I’ve noticed that “Black History,” "and or “racism,” even from a biblical stand point, is…

  4
• -Strength for Today- "Pursuing Justice in an Unjust World." - Psalm 106:3. Feb 25, 2022

  -Strength for Today- "Pursuing Justice in an Unjust World." - Psalm 106:3.

  We’re living in a world, where its foundation has been damaged and exploit by evil, whereas the controlling element is…

  11 1 Comment

Show more See all articles

Explore content categories

• Career
• Productivity
• Finance
• Soft Skills & Emotional Intelligence
• Project Management
• Education
• Technology
• Leadership
• Ecommerce
• User Experience
• Recruitment & HR
• Customer Experience
• Real Estate
• Marketing
• Sales
• Retail & Merchandising
• Science
• Supply Chain Management
• Future Of Work
• Consulting
• Writing
• Economics
• Artificial Intelligence
• Employee Experience
• Workplace Trends
• Fundraising
• Networking
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Negotiation
• Communication
• Engineering
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Business Strategy
• Change Management
• Organizational Culture
• Design
• Innovation
• Event Planning
• Training & Development

Show more Show less