Serving isn’t easy. If we only do it out of our human strength, we will ultimately lose heart — which is why it is essential to continually experience God’s mercy:

^4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.

[C.1] That includes living our lives transparently before God and man:

² But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, 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.

Despite our best efforts, though, there are some who will never see our true purpose:

³ But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, ⁴ whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image  of God, should shine on them.

For we do not serve to draw attention to ourselves, but to Christ our Lord:

⁵ For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

[C.2]

Since God Himself is the only light we can bring to this dark world…

⁶ For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

… and we are merely the carriers:

⁷ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Yet for reasons we don’t always understand, just being a messenger can be dangerous work:

⁸ [We are] hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

This is both sobering and encouraging. The contrast is between:

• hard-pressed vs. crushed
• perplexity vs. despair
• persecuted vs. forsaken
• struck down vs. destroyed

In other words, we are “beat up” but not completely “beaten”. Though we may suffer greatly, we have not been — and will not be! — defeated. [C.3]

It may seem that we’ve reached the end of our lives, but that only means we are at the beginning of His:

¹⁰ always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

¹¹ For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

¹² So then death is working in us, but life in you.

This is the true servant: one who embraces death to bring life to another (cf. John 15:13) — even those we don’t think deserve it (cf. Romans 5:7-8). [C.4]

Such sacrifice requires great faith. Not in human nature, but in the power of God:

¹³ And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present [us] with you.

Since need to love people, yet not expect to get credit for it:

¹⁵ For all things [are] for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.

For when we let go of external things out of love for others, God’s grace is unleashed to transform us from the inside out:

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day.

[C.5]

As we grow in the grace and discipline of serving — and the ability to focus on the power and glory of God — the cost feels smaller, and the payoff greater:

¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory,

Because our vision has shifted from earth to heaven (cf. 2 Kings 6:17):

¹⁸ while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen [are] temporary, but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.

Only when we surrender the visible idols of material status and physical power can we receive the heavenly crown of eternal life, which awaits all those who serve and submit in the name of Jesus.