Wasting Away, but Renewed (A SOAP Journal from 2 Cor 4)

S = 2 Corinthians 4:1, 16-18

"Inner Light" Photo by Greg K. Dueker (2025)

v. 1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart... 

v. 16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

O = This chapter begins with the declaration that, having received what they had by the mercy of God, Paul and his companions did not “lose heart.”

Now, at the end of the chapter, we see their testimony again: “We do not lose heart.” While physically, we all begin to waste away as we age. Some illnesses, accidents, and poor decisions all impact the rate at which we waste away… but no one escapes it. However, what is inside of us, what Paul called “our inner self,” can and should be renewed each day. But are we? As we age, are we becoming more infused with the light of eternity? Paul said that it depends on what we look at.

On one hand, if we allow the temporal things to become our focus, we can become envious and frustrated, growing increasingly angry, bitter, and unpleasant to be around. Paul called the deadly affliction he faced “light” and “momentary,” despite having a more extensive resume of suffering than most of us will ever face (see Chapter 11).

A = It seems that the older we get, the thinner our skin gets, both physically and spiritually. What is inside of us becomes more visible as our ability to hide the condition of our soul diminishes. Some people shine even brighter than ever with gladness and gratitude, while others complain and criticize nonstop.  

Paul was realistic. He saw firsthand the toll, on top of normal aging, that persecution could exact upon people. However, though he suffered terribly, he never became bitter, for he looked to the unseen things which are eternal. If we focus on greed and fear surrounding temporal things, we will become even more temporal as we distance ourselves from our eternal inheritance. If we focus on faith and hope upon that which is eternal, then eternity will creep into every aspect of our lives.

Photo by keem-ibarra on Unsplash

As followers of Christ and as leaders in the church, the question we face is, to what will we look today, this week, and in this season? To the volatility of our worldly investments or the security of our eternal investments? Will we be easily shaken by bad news, bad weather, bad politics, and bad people? Or will we be encouraged by the overflowing goodness of God and the continual working of the Holy Spirit on our behalf? Will we mourn what is passing/wasting away or rejoice in what is progressively being revealed?

In his letter to the church at Philippi, Paul shared how he applied this concept in his life.

He not only had left his failures, mistakes, and other sins behind at the cross of Christ, he had learned to consider even what he had previously considered to be his qualifications and commendable qualities as loss, even as garbage or dung, when compared to the riches of knowing Christ Jesus and sharing in both his sufferings and in his resurrection (Phil. 3:3-11).

When you read 2 Corinthians through, it sounds very similar.

P = Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Gracious Holy Spirit, thank you for saving me from my sins and naturalizing me into your eternal kingdom. Please show me how to see the daily inroads of eternity and not get so tied up in knots by what you call transitory things. Please give me eyes to see how you value people, things, events, etc., so that I won’t be fooled by their false promises. Your word says that every good and perfect gift comes down from you, Lord, and I am grateful. However, sometimes I get confused about what is good and perfect, so please keep teaching me! Amen.