When you encounter trials, ask the Spirit to give you grace to “count it all joy!”
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The Hope of Heaven – Drawing from personal experiences and vivid imagery from Scripture, Joni Eareckson Tada helps readers grasp just how rich the hope of heaven is. She helps us understand why the Bible uses symbols to describe it and gives helpful answers to questions many readers may have. She paints a compelling vision of heaven as a place of restoration, beauty, and perfect communion with God – a vision that will rekindle our excitement about the true "happily ever after" that awaits us.
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SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. One of the most encouraging Bible verses for any Christian who is suffering loss or pain is 2 Corinthians 4:17. Here it is: “For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Well Joni, since we’ve been talking all week about our sufferings on earth and how they connect us to heaven, I want to hear your thoughts on that “eternal weight of glory.” I’m thinking that idea alone must get you excited!
JONI: Oh, my goodness, Shauna! I have thought a lot about that “weight of glory” in heaven! And to me, it’s astounding that our earthly afflictions [and how we respond to them], have a direct impact on that, on everything about our life for all of eternity. If [when we suffer], we yield to God our selfish rebellion and in turn, cultivate patience, perseverance, oh, what a “weight of glory” is in store for us.
And I love that word “glory!” Because our afflictions accrue for us a massive glory; the kind of glory that’s, I don’t know, perfect holiness, unfiltered fellowship with the triune God. Being transformed by one look from Jesus; and entering into our inheritance. There’s more to that weight of glory, like, our resurrected bodies; having perfect communion with all the saints of God; judging fallen angels, crushing Satan beneath our feet, reigning in majesty forever with Jesus Christ. And best of all, beholding the beauty and worthiness of him for ever and ever. All this [and more] carries a lot of significance, a lot of weight as it were. And when we experience that kind of glory, we will overflow with exceeding joy, and even our joy will be profound and riddled with meaning and significance and weight.
You know, Jonathan Edwards described “the weight of glory” as an infinite [now get this], a density of joy, beauty, satisfaction. Your earthly sufferings; your tears and hardships; your faithfulness in a difficult marriage; or your long years of caregiving; your chronic medical condition that you steadfastly endured. All your sufferings will seem light and momentary compared to the glory that your trials are accruing as you have a godly response. They’ll seem featherweight, all because of your trust in God through Jesus Christ. And we do as the Apostle Peter wrote in his first epistle. We “rejoice insofar as we share in Christ’s sufferings, that we may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” So, share in the sufferings of Jesus now, and you will share in His unspeakable joy in heaven.
To sum it up, the weight of glory is not primarily about crowns or lots of rewards. It’s Jesus Christ. And it’s He who gives weight to the glory. John 17:24 expresses it best when Jesus prays, “Father, I want these whom you have given me to be with me where I am. Then they can see all the glory you gave me…” So, I’m calling upon the Holy Spirit [and I want you listening friend to join me]; let’s call upon the Spirit to help us in our trials. To transform our temporal, earthly view of them. Let’s ask the Spirit to give us grace to “count it all joy” when we have trials because we want them to accrue for us this astounding weight of glory!
SHAUNA: Oh, I am definitely joining you in that, Joni.
JONI: Oh, good!
SHAUNA: And you’ve given us a lot to act upon. I’m grateful you’ve put so many of these reflections in your new booklet, “The Hope of Heaven.” Listening friend, you can get your free copy today at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends