Temporary Visible Things, Eternal Invisible Things
Even when the path is foggy, the warmth of the sun is real—just like God’s grace in unseen moments.
Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s reflection from Bob Hoekstra turns our attention away from what our eyes naturally gravitate toward—our current afflictions, the observable details of life—and reorients us toward eternal, unseen realities. Though our earthly troubles may weigh heavily, the apostle Paul dares to call them “light” because of what they produce: an eternal weight of glory. But this transformation isn’t automatic. It happens while we shift our gaze.
When believers focus only on what is seen—suffering, uncertainty, or human strategy—we miss the opportunity to draw from the unseen grace of God. We forfeit eternal blessings for fleeting frustrations. But when we look beyond the visible, trusting in the eternal truths of God’s character and promises, our trials become pathways to a deeper inheritance of glory.
God supplies us with everlasting consolation, sustaining grace, and hope. He invites us to walk by faith—not merely endure, but abide in Him during difficulty. As we trust Him in the unseen, He deposits something eternal within us. That quiet, internal glory will outlast every temporary circumstance we face.
✍🏼 Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You do not need to see My hand to trust My heart. I am shaping you in ways that the mirror will never reflect, forming a glory within you that far outweighs what now troubles you.
Do not waste what you carry by turning inward. Set your gaze on Me. What you see around you is fleeting—it will pass like morning mist—but what I am doing in you is eternal. While others may fixate on what can be calculated or controlled, I invite you to look higher, deeper… beyond.
My grace does not always remove the fire, but it refines you in it. My hope is not a wish but a promise anchored in eternity. My presence is not a feeling but a reality more true than the trial you are walking through.
Faith is not pretending the affliction isn’t real; it is choosing to value what is unseen even more. You are not walking alone. You are walking in Me. And in every step of faith, I am depositing glory—substantial, weighty, enduring glory.
Keep your eyes on Me. Let go of what is seen, and lay hold of what is Mine.
Scriptures referenced: 2 Corinthians 4:17–18; 2 Peter 1:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9; John 1:16; 2 Corinthians 5:7
🧺 Real-Life Analogy
It’s like walking through a foggy morning where you can’t see the sun—but you still feel its warmth on your skin. Though unseen, it’s just as present, just as real. So it is with God's grace—always there, even when the path is unclear.
🙏🏼 Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that what I see is not the whole story. You have given me eyes of faith to behold what is eternal and unseen. I rejoice that afflictions are not wasted in Your hands—they become vessels of glory as I turn my heart toward You. I trust that Your grace is already mine, Your presence is already with me, and Your eternal purpose is being fulfilled in ways I may never observe with human eyes. I fix my gaze on what is true in You and walk in the confidence of Your eternal love.