“I miss my eyes” my exercise instructor jokingly said as she squinted at her apple watch to read the tiny screen. The rest of us laughed as we mentally checked off other things we missed. Aging is not for the weak and neither was the exercise class, for that matter. Every muscle screamed my age with every push-up and every squat. We probably would all agree that we miss our youth even as we try to hold onto it by staying in shape. Despite our best efforts at staying healthy with exercise and diet, the truth is we all will ultimately face decline and death. This thought brings me some reason to question my sweaty efforts as the pain in my knee confirms for me the decline already occurring in my body. After five-plus decades, my body is not the same as I can see with my own two weakening eyes. Even so, my attempt at health and well-being through exercise and diet is a noble effort. The benefit is great, no one will argue that fact. But, the outcome is the same…my body is still decaying. We are all aging and in the process of dying although some do actually look better than others on this journey yet, the end is still, well, the end.
The aforementioned thoughts can be quite depressing if not anchored to a wonderful truth, one which can strengthen the soul. “Therefore, we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 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” ( 2 Corinthians 4:16-18). You see, we don’t have to lose heart because of our decaying outer body as evidenced by loss of vision, aching muscles, and possibly grey hair. Why? Because our inner man is being renewed which means “made new,” “transformed,” “restored to freshness or vigor.” Don’t we all long for this? Newness, transformation, freshness and vigor are some end results of a multi-million dollar industry. We would all agree that these qualities are what we seek and many go to great lengths to acquire them. Many seek bodily transformation through strenuous discipline in exercise and diet. These are beneficial disciplines to have but they still reap temporary results.
The promise of the Word to us is that we can reap eternal results in the inner man, eternal vigor, eternal freshness, and eternal transformation. This is the end we should seek. Eternal as opposed to temporary is a good end worthy of any disciplined pursuit as “we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3: 21). Now that will be something to live for in this short life. Let’s seek it out, let’s pursue it. And while we look at the things which are not presently seen, what amazing things our eyes will see.