Eternal Perspective
I love the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They could have lied and denied God as their own, but they instead stood up to Nebuchadnezzar, and were forced to go into a furnace that was turned up so hot, the guards who threw them in, were burnt. Miraculously, they survived the fire, and were even seen being protected by a fourth figure.
When I was 19, I couldn't go a day without seeing the beach. If my day wasn't filled with going to work, and school, and doing something fun, I felt unsettled. I loved to travel; Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, New York...I was always looking for the next best thing.
I am not going to lie and say that those things don't matter. I love to travel. And I love the beach. But as I have gotten further along in my walk with Jesus, I am learning to value other things in life. I don't need to be filled with a constant high of doing something exciting that day. I am learning that sometimes when life brings storms, and when the day doesn't go according to plan, I grow closer to Him.
I am noticing a shift in my desires. Life is incredible. I love to soak it up. I love to dance, experience new things with my kids, and be in nature. But it also has it's downs. And there are days that weigh heavy on my conscience. I say things I don't mean. I get hurt. Responsibility gets the best of me, and I feel the pressure of keeping it together. In those situations, I am forced to recognize God's hand in my life. I can't keep it together. I don't have enough maturity to always say the right thing. I am not incapable of getting hurt, and I need His touch to get me through the day. And the tougher the day gets, the closer I get to Him.
I have an eternal perspective that I am so grateful for. I know that life is going to get infinitely better. I don't make it up to make me feel better; I completely know that Jesus is Lord. I know that He is currently preparing a place for me to live with Him in eternity. I can rest in peace knowing that if my day is good, He is good. If my day is bad, He is still good. And He loves me.
I see so many people reaching in their lives. They act quickly to comfort their sin, or hurt, or situation. The react and try to make themselves feel better in the moment, no matter what the consequences might be. They try to take control, and make their day what they want to be, rather than experience what it might be like to go through the pain, rely heavily on a Father, and come out stronger and closer to Jesus after having suffered.
I used to do the same thing. I would move swiftly to keep things good...or what good looked like to me, for the moment. I know now, that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I will often be placed in a fire. I can get myself out, or I can let Jesus console me. The outcome of having been protected by the King of Kings is always better than what I can do to fix a situation on my own.
His comfort is so much greater than anything I can do to try to comfort my own soul. His eternal love stretches so much further than I have the ability to give Him credit for. I am so thankful that I have an eternal perspective.
If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us. 2 Timothy 2:12
Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
When I was 19, I couldn't go a day without seeing the beach. If my day wasn't filled with going to work, and school, and doing something fun, I felt unsettled. I loved to travel; Hawaii, Mexico, Jamaica, New York...I was always looking for the next best thing.
I am not going to lie and say that those things don't matter. I love to travel. And I love the beach. But as I have gotten further along in my walk with Jesus, I am learning to value other things in life. I don't need to be filled with a constant high of doing something exciting that day. I am learning that sometimes when life brings storms, and when the day doesn't go according to plan, I grow closer to Him.
I am noticing a shift in my desires. Life is incredible. I love to soak it up. I love to dance, experience new things with my kids, and be in nature. But it also has it's downs. And there are days that weigh heavy on my conscience. I say things I don't mean. I get hurt. Responsibility gets the best of me, and I feel the pressure of keeping it together. In those situations, I am forced to recognize God's hand in my life. I can't keep it together. I don't have enough maturity to always say the right thing. I am not incapable of getting hurt, and I need His touch to get me through the day. And the tougher the day gets, the closer I get to Him.
I have an eternal perspective that I am so grateful for. I know that life is going to get infinitely better. I don't make it up to make me feel better; I completely know that Jesus is Lord. I know that He is currently preparing a place for me to live with Him in eternity. I can rest in peace knowing that if my day is good, He is good. If my day is bad, He is still good. And He loves me.
I see so many people reaching in their lives. They act quickly to comfort their sin, or hurt, or situation. The react and try to make themselves feel better in the moment, no matter what the consequences might be. They try to take control, and make their day what they want to be, rather than experience what it might be like to go through the pain, rely heavily on a Father, and come out stronger and closer to Jesus after having suffered.
I used to do the same thing. I would move swiftly to keep things good...or what good looked like to me, for the moment. I know now, that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, I will often be placed in a fire. I can get myself out, or I can let Jesus console me. The outcome of having been protected by the King of Kings is always better than what I can do to fix a situation on my own.
His comfort is so much greater than anything I can do to try to comfort my own soul. His eternal love stretches so much further than I have the ability to give Him credit for. I am so thankful that I have an eternal perspective.
If we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us. 2 Timothy 2:12
Romans 5:17
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Romans 8:17
Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
1 Peter 4:13
But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
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