I'm a ashamed to admit how easily distracted I become. Spending so much of my time chasing after things that don't really matter, I mean they do matter a little, but not really, and in the light of eternity their importance fades significantly.
There are times when this song comes on the radio or on my ipod when I have to simply stop, breathe, and maybe even cry. Last year about this time life hurt and when I say life hurt I mean "knife in my heart, how do I get out of bed?, where is Jesus?" kind of hurt. During that time I'd tell myself to hold on, give it time, it will get better. But now it has been a year, and I'm wondering what is better? It seems to me we are hurting just as much.
There will come a day, standing face to face, in a moment we'll be like Him.
He will wipe our eyes dry, take us up to His side and forever, we will be His.
I can't even type the words without getting that lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. Sometimes I'd like to just run away into His arms, to be with Him, near Him...but I can't. Not today. My Bridegroom is away, preparing a place for me. I must wait here for His return. That doesn't mean that as I wait I don't ache to be with Him, literally ache.
What I am trying to say, to remind myself and you, is this life is just a moment in light of eternity. These afflictions are truly "light" and "momentary" and we are just blinded by the inadequacy of our human eyes, unable to fully comprehend eternity and thus weighed down but what seems like a long time to wait and suffer. I believe with all my heart, all that I am, everything in me that THIS LIFE IS A MOMENT and the happiness I crave here on earth could never compare to the happiness HE is preparing for me in my true home in heaven.
That's what I'm chasing after - happiness. Fair enough, I think. What's wrong with happiness? I want it in a job, I want it in a relationship, in a nice typical Midwestern American family, in ministry and in life. I look for it while shopping - filling my home with things to make it cozy. I search for it in relationships - friends to keep me company, a man to love. I long for it while working - thinking this job will be my security. I try to store it up in my bank account, watch for it in movies, and hunt for it on facebook. All while discovering that none of it lasts. Someone hurts me, my job gets boring, and my bank account is empty!
That's how I'm beginning to feel about this life and all the things I chase after - they are empty. I want more, I want Jesus. I want a life that is His. I want to suffer and see Him glorified, I want to succeed and see Him praised, I want to live and see Him honored!
You may feel truly "afflicted in every way...perplexed...persecuted...struck down..." and as I get older I am beginning to realize that life is suffering. We experience hurt, and loss, and sickness. There are days the sun shines brightly and weeks when the clouds cover all hope. But for those of us who are children of God, heirs to His promises, citizens of His heavenly kingdom we get to focus on the best part of that verse in 2 Corinthians - "but not crushed, not driven to despair, not forsaken, not destroyed"
Can we just stop? Just for a moment close our eyes and daydream about what Jesus is doing for us right now? He's preparing a place for us! Sometimes at night, in the darkness of my bedroom and the dimness of my suffering I whisper to Jesus a plea for Him to come back for me. And I beg Him to give me a heart that chases after Him, not happiness. A heart that recognizes I am a citizen of His Kingdom living in an earthy kingdom - that eternity is what I live for not the things of this world. There will come a time - in a moment, we'll be like Him. In that moment, face to face with Jesus our existence will be all about Him, and we will worship Him, you and me, together, with Him!! Are you getting this!?! I'd like to shout it from the roof tops! ETERNITY! That is what we life for! "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond ALL comparison."
My life is about Him, about Jesus. I live for Him and His glory. Not for friends, or houses, or jobs, or dreams of family and white picket fences. When He claimed me as His own He claimed my dreams too.
Can we just stop for a moment and reflect on eternity with Jesus - eternity singing blessing and honor and glory and power forever to our God!
Yes, give me some of that. Give me a moment to be moved, a moment to remember I am a citizen of heaven, a moment to stop chasing after the wrong things, a moment to stop focusing on my own circumstance, a moment to look with eyes of faith and trust and hope to the promise Jesus died to give me - the promise of eternity with Him!
