Whose eyes?

What the world saw:

Afflicted
Perplexed
Persecuted
Struck Down 

What the world could not believe their eyes at:

But not crushed 

But not driven to despair 

But not forsaken 

But not destroyed 

Because Paul saw:

The Lifter of Our Heads 

Our Hope

Our Shield and Helper 

Our Victory 

What the angels saw:

The gospel lived out, life in death and death in life through the Son of God, things into which the the angels long to look so that through the church the  manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rules and authorities in the heavenly places (1 Peter 1:12; Eph. 3:10). 

Where do I fix my eyes?
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Pefector of our faith (Heb. 12:3), so we can say (2 Corinthians 4:8-9):

Afflicted – but not crushed – for he is the Lifter of our Heads

Perplexed – but not driven to despair – for He is our Hope

Persecuted – but not forsaken – for He is our Shield and Helper

Struck down – but not destroyed - for He is our Victory

Carrying around the death of Christ –
so that the life of Jesus is manifested –
for his glory and for our eternal glory