Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 7 November 2025 (In Touch) Friday Message
Charles Stanley Daily Devotional TOPIC: A Burden or a Bridge
TODAY’S SCRPTURE: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,
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.
How would you describe adversity? As Christians, we have the opportunity to see it as a bridge leading to an eternal future.
Our perspective is the determining factor in how we view hardship. If we focus only on the negative, we’ll be drawn into despair. But if we look at problems from an eternal standpoint, our thinking will be transformed in three ways:
- We won’t lose heart, because we know we’re being renewed from within. As we respond in submission to whatever God allows in our life and trust in His good purposes, our character is shaped into Christlikeness and our hope is restored.
- The Lord will give us strength to endure. Paul said he was afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down, and constantly threatened with death, yet he called it all “light and momentary” compared to eternity (2 Cor. 4:8-11; 2 Cor. 4:17 NIV).
- Let’s not view adversity as a thief of all joy and a hindrance to a good life. Instead, we should look beyond the present to what the trial is producing for us—“an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (v. 17).
Viewing troubles through an eternal lens is an act of faith. It increases our trust in God, gives us greater passion, and strengthens us to victoriously cross the bridge of adversity.
Bible in One Year: John 17-19
THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Adversity can be a burden we carry or a bridge to a glorious future.
Dr. Charles F. Stanley was the founder of In Touch Ministries and a New York Times best-selling author. Throughout his ministry, he demonstrated a keen awareness of people’s needs and provided Christ-centered biblically based principles for everyday life