The Christian lives in two worlds: the physical world and the spiritual world. In the final verse of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, the apostle Paul says, “do not lose heart” even as his body deteriorates under the effects of debilitating persecution.
By the ministry of the Holy Spirit, his inward person was continually renewed. This is something he could say with confidence.
2 Corinthians 4:16–18
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV)
Do Not Lose Heart
We are all dying day by day. Death is a reality that everyone will face one day. However, most people don’t give it much thought until they are getting older.
Nevertheless, our flesh is aging from the moment we are conceived until our final breath. And when we suffer severe affliction and worry, it may seem that this deteriorating process is even more pronounced.