Historic pastoral reading
Pain is real and often brief next to what God keeps. That is not the proverb.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
This too shall pass.
The text
WEB
17 For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory,
18 while we don't look 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.
KJV
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
18 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.
What kind of text
- Letter
- Suffering
- Hope
Paul compares present affliction with eternal weight of glory.
How Christians have read this
Common misuse
Used to hush grief as if the Bible promised every trouble a short clock.
What the next verse does
Chapter 5 opens with a tent and a building from God.
Older commentary
Matthew Henry
Henry on 2 Corinthians 4:17: the present affliction is light and momentary next to an eternal weight of glory.
Charles Spurgeon
Spurgeon comforted mourners with that chapter, not with a Persian proverb.