To answer your good question, let’s read 2 Corinthians 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”

Our light afflictions, which can include any type of hardship, heartache, health needs, or persecution are to be considered as temporary and valuable for us as believers. The Apostle Peter spoke of this in 1 Peter 1:6-7, “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”  Indeed, we should find reason to rejoice even in the harshest of our hardships and trials.  We are promised in Romans 8:28, “And we know that ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”  It is when we realize how temporary and valuable our sufferings are, we can esteem them as ‘light’ or easy. 

While our afflictions are spoken of as ‘light’ the glory is spoken of as ‘weight’.  Such a vast contrast when we compare the physical sufferings with the spiritual benefits that are produced in us.  Of course, the afflictions we endure are temporary, but the glory is eternal…lasting forever. 

Now, let’s consider 2 Corinthians 4:18 which says, “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.”  The word ‘look’ doesn’t refer to what we actually see with our eyes but refers to how we consider things which are important.  We are instructed not to ‘look’ or consider the sufferings and hardships around us, but to keep our eyes upon the things that cannot be seen with the eye…the eternal things.  We are encouraged to look beyond the things we might be called upon to suffer. 

Indeed, it is by looking to the glory of eternal things and not fixing our attention on the trials and sorrows of this life that we will see our afflictions as ‘light’. If we focus directly on our trials…if our minds are fixed completely on them, and we think of nothing else, they often appear heavy and lengthy. Even fairly light and brief sufferings will appear to be extremely difficult to bear.  But if we turn away our minds from them and consider future glory…if we can compare our afflictions with eternal blessedness, and trust that they will introduce us to perfect and everlasting happiness, they will appear to be momentary, and will be easily tolerated, and even appreciated.  Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead…”  All this should be a great encouragement to faith and patience under the present afflictions we are called upon to endure.  (CC)  (710.4)