Nowadays, we are suffering for winning souls. Some of us even decided to lay down their lives. But the Lord told us to give us the crown as the eternal reward in Heaven. It enables us to endure the hardships even with rejoice, even if we must give our very lives.
The Apostle Paul fought the good fight, even to the point of death for winning souls. And He fixed his eyes on the crown awaiting him in heaven. “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6–8).
For Paul, receiving the godly crown was the greatest joy in his lifetime. Therefore, he could accept even unspeakable physical suffering with joy confessing that, “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church” (Colossians1:24). Paul understood that eternal glory that would be rewarded by God outweighs all his sufferings so he could confess that the momentary trouble were light (2 Corinthians 4:16~18)
He knew that the afflictions of this present time was not comparable to the radiant glory he would receive from God in eternity. The pleasures in the time of earth end at death but glory in heaven last for eternity. We too shall rejoice the eternal reward in heaven, to receive in time of soul, just as the Apostle Paul did.
Every work that you did for the Lord will be rewarded in Heaven with radiant crowns. Let's fix our eyes on the eternal day with faith. That is the spiritual rejoice that nothing else can replace. Those who believe in Jesus put effort on God's wok, suffer and be persecuted. Yet we shall accept all of the hardships willingly, even with smiling trusting that every little of our pain will be rewarded by God with glorious inheritance.
