It is easy to get down in life. This world is such a mess that it can fill us with sadness and depressing thoughts when we focus too much on the negative things in life. Just watching the evening news these days can lead to a melancholy mindset.

We do, however, have an advantage as Christians. No matter how bad the world gets, we have a bright future. There is glory awaiting us at God’s appointed time. Even the real suffering that we must endure cannot compare to the glory ahead of us.

Romans 8:18 (ESV)
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Paul knew something about suffering. His was not mildly depressed from watching the evening news as we are at times. His agony was real, physical persecution that involved imprisonment, being beaten with rods and stoned with rocks, just to name a few of the different ways in which he suffered. I think we  would all say that our sufferings are mild compared to his. Nevertheless, even if your sufferings in life are extensive, no matter what they are, they cannot be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

The KJV has “in us” instead of “to us” and that appears to be more accurate according to the context. Paul is referring to the glorified bodies that we will all receive in the resurrection. I believe that is what Paul describes in the next section, especially ver. 21. Paul refers to this glory in other places.

Philippians 3:19–21 (ESV)
20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

There will be no suffering in the glorious bodies that we will receive when Jesus comes back.  We will be free from all the pain and problems to which this world subjects us. We will enter a glorious eternity in glorious bodies to enjoy the sweet rest of heaven. That is what is waiting for all of us who are faithful to the Lord.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things