Too Big for Troubles and Afflictions
Faith enables us to persevere against all discouragements by raising us to converse with soul-greatening objects, making us too big for troubles and afflictions.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that faith empowers the soul to rise above discouragements by focusing on the glorious realities of God and Christ. He explains that while we may face light and momentary troubles, these are insignificant compared to the eternal glory that awaits us. By fixing our eyes on the unseen, we can cultivate a spirit that is too great for afflictions to diminish. Brooks encourages believers to engage with the treasures and pleasures found in Jesus, which renews the inner self daily. Ultimately, faith transforms our perspective, making us resilient against life's challenges.
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("The Glorious Day of the Saints Appearance")
One way by which faith enables the soul to persevere against
all discouragements, is by raising the soul to converse with
soul-greatening objects, such as God and Christ, and those
treasures, pleasures, and sweetnesses which are in the Lord
Jesus Christ.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are
wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by
day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we
fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.
For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is
eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
There is nothing which so enables the soul, and which so
divinely greatens the soul and makes it too large, too wide,
and too big for troubles and afflictions to discourage--
than faith's conversing with those high and glorious eternal
realities.
Sermon Outline
- Faith Enables the Soul to Persevere
- Converse with soul-greatening objects
- God and Christ
- Treasures, pleasures, and sweetnesses in Christ
Key Quotes
“There is nothing which so enables the soul, and which so divinely greatens the soul and makes it too large, too wide, and too big for troubles and afflictions to discourage--than faith's conversing with those high and glorious eternal realities.” — Thomas Brooks
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” — Thomas Brooks
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- We can apply this principle by fixing our eyes on what is unseen, eternal, and glorious, rather than what is temporary and seen.
- Focusing on eternal realities enables us to achieve an eternal glory that far outweighs our troubles.
- Faith's conversing with high and glorious eternal realities makes us too large, too wide, and too big for troubles and afflictions to discourage.