So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ESV

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. NIV

I just grabbed my glasses before sitting down to type. No matter how hard I try, I can’t get my vision back to 20/20. What was once crystal clear is now sometimes fuzzy, or a complete blur. 

I’m not alone in my farsightedness or my frustration with poor eyesight. All of our physical bodies are wasting away, and as a result, we learn early in life about limitations. A sprained ankle that never quite healed. An ACL torn during senior year that kept you from competing in the championship or crushed your dreams of a pro-sport career. Stitches earned during summer camp meant no swimming for weeks. 

It can be easy to get discouraged and to lose hope. To think that our physical pain is sidelining us, and our hopes of winning Olympic gold might not be realized. But maybe our limitations can be a good thing. Maybe they can help us redefine where our hope comes from, rather than looking for it in what we can do.

It’s just as tempting to lose heart and to give in when things get hard. But Scripture reminds us that hope in Jesus is steadfast and sure, rock solid. Our hope doesn’t depend on our strength; it comes from Him.

The Apostle Paul knew this when he said, “we do not lose heart.” He’s making a declaration, a battle cry. A fight against discouragement and defeat. He admits we are wasting away physically, but he also says our inner selves are being renewed day by day. 

How powerful is that? When we declare with Paul that we will not lose heart, we can be renewed every day, and even our limitations can become reminders that we were made for something greater. When we refuse to give in to discouragement and when we choose to believe the eternal and rock-solid promises of God more than our shifting feelings, we will stand firm. 

Needing to wear glasses in order to correct my failing eyesight is a small sacrifice to see clearly. Being renewed day by day is a far greater thing, and it gives us vision for today and hope for tomorrow. 

Friend, don’t lose heart.

Written by LeeAnn Randall