In review of 2 Corinthians 4:18 I'm reminded, “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (NLT)
My ultimate hope as I experience illness, persecution, or pain is the realization that this life is not all there is. There is life after death! Knowing that I will live with God in a place without sin and suffering can help me live above the pain that I face in this life.
God created me to live in heaven with him for eternity. Heaven is my home, not Earth. That’s why I sometimes experience discontentment and dissatisfaction in life. I’m not completely happy here because I’m not supposed to be! Otherwise, I might think I can live without God. He created me to long for something much better, a home in heaven with him.
A fish would never be happy living on land, because it was made for water. An eagle could never feel satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly. I”ll never feel completely satisfied on Earth because I was made for more. I’ll have happy moments here, but nothing compared to what God has planned for me.
This is also why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. But this is not the end of the story.
Realizing that life on Earth is just temporary should radically alter my values. Eternal values should influence all my decisions. As C.S. Lewis observed, “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.”
The Bible tells me to “fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV).
In summary I shouldn’t look at the troubles I see now; rather, I need to fix my gaze on things that cannot be seen. Things Isee now will soon be gone, things I cannot see will last forever. This life is not all there is. I will live with God in a place without sin and suffering can help me live above the pain that I face in this life. God created me to live in heaven with him for eternity. Heaven is my home, not Earth. I sometimes experience discontentment and dissatisfaction in life. I’m not completely happy here because I’m not supposed to be! He created me too long for something much better. I”ll never feel completely satisfied on Earth because I was made for more. This is also why some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled, prayers seem unanswered, and some circumstances seem unfair. This is not the end of the story. So eternal values should influence all my decisions. God wants me to fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is unseen is eternal.
I’m reminded this morning that the things that will last in this life are relationships and what I can do to make a difference in the lives of others. So as I face obstacles and trouble, I need to remember what matters most, relationships. I pray this morning Father that with the help of the Holy Spirit that I can make a difference in the lives of others. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my planning, my work, my leadership and my interactions with others. I pray this through your Son Jesus’ name, Amen.
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