Sermon Series Blog: New Thing Coming Pt.4
Hope Beyond What You See
Life has a way of catching us off guard, doesn’t it? One minute, everything feels fine — and the next, the silence around us is deafening.
I’ll never forget a small, but telling moment in my own life. My wife, Liana, collects Starbucks mugs from every place we visit. On one trip to Disney World, she found a mug she loved. Months later, as I was unloading the dishwasher, it slipped from my hand. Time seemed to slow down as the mug shattered on the floor. In that moment, the house fell completely silent. No noise from the dog. No music in the background. Just silence.
Maybe you’ve had one of those moments too.
A phone call.
A doctor’s report.
A job loss.
A text message that changes your world.
And in that moment, you wonder, “God, where are you?”
When Easter Is Over, and Life Keeps Going
We just celebrated Resurrection Sunday. It was beautiful. Churches were full. Voices were lifted high. Hope was in the air. But then Monday came — and life kept going.
Maybe you faced bills, family tension, or bad news at work. Maybe sickness crept in, or grief you thought you left at the altar came back. That post-Easter letdown is real. But here’s the good news:
The resurrection was never meant to be a one-day event. It was meant to be a new way of life.
Hope for the Worn Out (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, the Apostle Paul reminds us:
“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, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Even when life feels like it’s breaking apart, God is quietly doing something new inside of you.
Outwardly Wasting Away, Inwardly Renewed
Let’s be honest: life is hard sometimes. The Apostle Paul wasn’t ignoring that — he felt it too. Worn out, beaten down, carrying the weight of ministry and hardship.
But here’s the truth:
Even when your situation doesn’t change, God is changing you in it.
Day by day, God renews us. Not always in big, dramatic ways, but in quiet, steady, faithful moments.
His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).
And when your strength runs out, His grace kicks in.
Your Pain Has Purpose
Paul calls our troubles “light and momentary” — not to diminish them, but to compare them to eternity.
What you’re going through now isn’t forever.
The struggle you face is producing something in you:
Perseverance
Character
Hope
Like gold refined in fire, your faith is being purified. God doesn’t waste pain. He uses it.
Romans 8:18 says:
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Hold on — because what’s coming is better than what’s been.
2. Focus on the Unseen
It’s easy to focus on what we see:
The bank account balance.
The medical report.
The headlines.
The problems right in front of us.
But Paul encourages us to shift our focus.
What is seen is temporary. What is unseen is eternal.
When Peter walked on water in Matthew 14, as long as his eyes were on Jesus, he did the impossible. The moment he focused on the waves, he sank.
It’s the same with us.
Keep your eyes up.
Hope isn’t behind you — it’s ahead of you.
3. A New Thing Is Still Coming
Even if Easter is over on the calendar, the power of the resurrection lives on. Every closed door, every silent moment, every heartbreak is an opportunity for God to write a new story in your life.
So today, I want to remind you:
Don’t lose heart.
Your trouble is temporary.
Your struggle is producing something beautiful.
And your future is bright because the resurrection wasn’t a one-time event — it’s a daily invitation.
God is doing a new thing in you.
You may not see it yet. You may still feel the weight of yesterday. But hope is rising. Glory is ahead. And His promises still stand.
Final Encouragement
Wherever you’re reading this — whether in a coffee shop, on your lunch break, or at home after a long day — know this:
You are not alone.
God is with you in the silence.
He’s working in the waiting.
And a new thing is still coming.
Fix your eyes on what is unseen.
Let hope anchor you.
And keep walking forward.
The best is yet to come.
📖 Scriptures to Reflect On:
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Romans 8:18
Lamentations 3:22-23
James 1:2-4
Hebrews 12:2
Colossians 3:2
Matthew 14:28-31
