Let this be an encouragement to you. Don't lose heart, my friend. This life is filled with many afflictions -- some of which feel like they might pull us under. But you're not alone. Just like Steven Curtis Chapman sings in his song "Don't Lose Heart."     Paul offers his own words of encouragement in his second letter to the Corinthians. Let's explore God's Word together. In this episode, I discuss the following: Taking a B.I.T.E. out of Scripture – this week's Bible Interaction Tool Exercises include: Read in context Read and keep on reading Make observations Complete a word study Follow the cross-references The free one-page PDF Episode Guide to guide your study - Episode 459 Download The KLOVE blog post where Steven discusses the story behind the song "Don't Lose Heart" - KLOVE.com article Mary Beth Chapman's book "Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope" - Amazon Paid Link Unpacking our feature verse and making observations - 2 Corinthians 4:1 The new covenant ministry of Paul (and followers of Christ to this day) - 2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18 Following the cross-reference to Exodus 34 Wrongly seeing afflictions as a curse and not mercy God's comfort in more significant measure than the affliction - 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 Exploring hope (as a way not to lose heart) 2 Corinthians 1:7 2 Corinthians 1:10 2 Corinthians 3:12   We are jars of clay and our fragility only serves to magnify the power of God.   Additional Resources Lyrics - NewReleaseToday.com John Frederick, “Mercy and Compassion,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014) Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: New Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020) My new favorite Bible Study Software - Logos Bible Software Affiliate Link This Week's Challenge Read 2 Corinthians this week. Look for afflictions and comfort. When given the choice to lose heart, set your hope on God instead. Take time to meditate on the truths God reveals to you this week.