When I first accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior, I was elated that I had found a way to defeat death, become a future resident of the greatest retirement home ever created – Heaven, and I was going to be blessed beyond measure in this life of mine. I guess two out of three ain’t bad, and I’m not really even sure where I heard that the last item on my list was part of my renaissance. And someone definitely forgot to tell me about what Jesus said in John 16:33 (NIV): “In this world you will have trouble.”
Trouble, that’s what Jesus said. I wonder if he meant that just when I would finally get my finances under control that the furnace would quit working. I wonder if he meant that just when I finished paying off my car that its engine and transmission would take a dump, leaving me with repair bills that exceeded the original cost of the car. Is that what Jesus meant when he said I would have troubles in this world? I think it is. I think Jesus was warning all of us who have decided to follow him that we will suffer disappointment in this world – serious disappointment.
It is not in this temporal world that suffering and disappointment are destroyed by the Blood of the Lamb. It is in the eternal world to come that the disappointment blues will be a thing of the past. In Luke 18:22 (NIV) Jesus tells the rich ruler that if he gives everything he has to the poor, he will have treasure in Heaven. Jesus did not tell the wealthy man that his sacrifice would lead to immediate contentment and happiness.
Philippians 3:20 (NIV) reminds us that “our citizenship is in Heaven.” And it is with that disclosure one has to ask why the Christian sometimes believe his or her passport to the eternal land should catapult the contentment of Heaven into the currently cursed world we live in. The short and honest answer is: we shouldn’t believe such nonsense. Becoming a Christian does not insulate us from pain, suffering, and disappointment.
Followers of Christ will definitely find trouble in this world. But if we keep our hearts and minds focused on our eternal resting place, we will find the disappointment of a fallen world bearable. The glory and rich rewards of Heaven, the ten thousand year and on that we will share fellowship with the Eternal Redeemer, and the joy of living with our brothers and sisters in Christ are worth every disappointment we could ever suffer through as we make our way through this present world.
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I always enjoy your work...the way you write. I will pray for you, my friend, and your family. I will ask that God's will be done, that He grant you strength and wisdom, and that He is glorified in your life each and everyday. :o) Whenever you get the blues please keep Romans 8:28-30 in mind, "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Thank you for your work. It is so clear, engaging, and thought provoking. Best wishes.
