2nd Cor.4:15] For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
[16] For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
[17] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It has been said by many; “I have a lot on my plate,” and while this saying has a carnal viewpoint about it, and this is said by those who have felt that they have more on their normal schedule than usual. And this is the case with most because now there is a portion of their personal time that is now given to something else, other than their own personal desired way to spend this time. But as we can see with our Father’s Ministry, He desires “workman” who labor “with Him” in the ministry, and sons and daughters who have become a “living sacrifice” and desire to labor for “His sake,” not their own sake. And our Father knows that the labor, and suffering, and persecution for the ministry’s sake could cause the saint to want to “faint,” but he is exhorted, and reminded of Paul about the “glory,” and how the saint is taught how to “look at” their physical circumstances, and that is; to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” We are taught that our “well doing” is for Christ’s sake, and this is the “Excellency of the power” that will work effectually within us when we are “weary,” and have the mind to want to “faint.”

2Th 3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
2Th 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
2Th 3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

Furthermore, this selfless operation of love was displayed by the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ for us, and we are taught this ensample of how we are to “look not” at the weariness that we face for the ministry’s sake. But the most important thing that we are given to understand is, that our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ made a selfless provision for our inward man, and that is where we are to keep the emphasis upon, and that is everything that benefits the inward man only. Simply put, the only way we can actually “look not at the things which are seen,” is that we must make our ‘current reality’ all about our Spiritual life only, and about our inward man. And when the physical circumstances of our lives come up, we must develop ‘no care at all’ for those things which are seen in our physical reality. This might seem impossible to not look at the world around us, but this is because we have been “conformed to this world,” and have developed a “care” for the carnal things of this world.

2nd Cor.4:[1] Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
[2] But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Therefore, our selfless love for the ministry’s sake would never seem as a ‘burden,’ or ‘taking up all of OUR time,’ because we are taught to ‘know the time’ that we are living in, and that our time, ought to belong to the Lord. And because of this ‘truth,’ or ‘Spiritual reality,’ when we who desires to be a “workman” labor tirelessly, and the sufferings of Christ abound in us, we are to “faint not,” but understand that our “outward man,” and his circumstances are no longer important to us, and that the ‘hope’ of the outward man is to eventually “perish,” so why do we act as if our “outward man” is the one that is ‘renewed day by day? We have ‘not much care for’ our inward man’s existence, it is secondary to the current reality of the things which are seen. But this is where we must understand and appreciate the life that is ours in Christ, and that that life is a Spiritual life only, and a life that benefits our inward man, and benefits our Father, and is the only way we can actually bring forth fruit unto holiness to our Father.

Gal.6:7] Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
[8] For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
[9] And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
[10] As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Moreover, the son that labors tirelessly for the ministry’s sake could become “weary,” and want to “faint,” but even though the things for the ministry’s sake can become trying, we are taught to obtain the understanding and appreciation that our Father has provided for us the renewing doctrine, so that we as our Lord Jesus also ‘fainted not’ at what He experienced. He operated upon His Father’s Holy Word, and as “sons” also, we too are to learn the strengthening doctrine whereby we also “faint not.” And as we will see in the verses below, Paul “despaired even of life,” and was beyond the point of fainting, but he says that he was “delivered” by God. But it was the Word of God that delivered Paul’s inward man, not his outward man. When Paul details all of those sufferings he went through in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11, his outward man physically went through those things, but his inward man did not experience those things, it rejoiced, and it gloried, and brought forth the “power of Christ,” and actually became “strong” as he suffered!

2nd Cor.1:9 But we had a sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but God which raiseth the dead.
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.

And it is this “power of Christ” that Paul operated upon, and that he educated Timothy in when Timothy had a “spirit of fear,” in 2nd Timothy 1:7. Paul gave Timothy to understand “what” God actually has provided for us, and that is the “power,” His selfless love, and a “sound” Spiritual mind. Timothy ‘fainted’ much as we can see, and he also needed to be ‘put in remembrance’ of the provision through the Holy Word, and to he “partaker of the afflictions of the gospel,” and when the time comes where he could “faint,” Paul taught Timothy through the Word not to look at the affairs of this life: “no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” Our thinking has to be aligned with our Father’s Word, but not just our thinking; it has to be the case with our hearts as well. When we who labor become ‘faint of heart,’ in the Ministry, we must turn to, and trust His doctrine to strengthen our inward man, that we faint not, but that we understand and appreciate the glory, and that the Lord’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.

Eph.3:12] In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.
[13] Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
[14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
[15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
[18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
[19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Rod Jones