I recently started a Bible plan on "Facing the Future with God" by R.C Sproul. The thing with grief is that it comes in seasons and your mind doesn't realize it until it comes all at once. These days I have been in thought about life on earth and eternity in Heaven. We all probably experienced so much pain and hopelessness. We look up to the Heavens and say "Jesus when are you coming back?" Others might call you "crazy" or say "you're not living life." I am the type of person who can see how dark this world can be and how it is not getting better. Pessimistic thought? Many will say, yes but what does the Bible say about our life here on earth?
2 Corinthians 5:2-5
For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Matthew 6:19-20
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Please do not take what I say as a way to be hopeless or miserable. We ought to live life on earth for the Glory of God. What does that mean? Well, facing life's challenges in a way that brings us closer to God. We need to completely trust that even in those times the Lord is good. We can see this proof from Old Testament to New Testament because our God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our perfect and holy God promised that even when times feel difficult that He will be there to be our comfort and He will never leave us.
1 Chronicles 28:20
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.
Hebrews 13:5
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
However, I do not believe that Christians should ONLY focus on earthly blessings. We get caught up in all the temporary things and forget about our eternity with Christ. Let me explain. The Bible tells us our duties on earth. See scripture below. The Lord does bless us but as humans, we get so comfortable with the earthy blessings and forget our Heavenly blessings. We have salvation and can come to the Father through the Son. What other religion tells us of a God who came down as the Son, who then lived a perfect life and died on the cross for our sins? But who didn’t just die but resurrected and now those who have repented are a new creation in Christ.
Mark 16:15-16
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
We as Christians are also to live life with our eyes opened. What does that mean? Well continuing to live life the way Christ calls us to. R.C Sproul put it this way "Jesus told his disciples that He was coming back. He warned us to be alert and vigilant to the signs of the times. We all must look beyond the red sky and look for the golden sky, a sky ablaze with the glory of the returned king." Scripture shows us the importance of living life as though at any moment Christ will come back.
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 24:44
Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
Luke 21:36
But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
To many, this can bring fear and anxiety but look what scripture says about Heaven.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 22:1-5
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Brothers and sisters this time on earth will be hard, it’s not supposed to be easy. But the fight is worth it. Your challenges, grief, and what may seem like a lifetime of sadness, are all temporary pain. We will soon be with our Lord in a magically and unimaginable place where we worship our Savior in happiness for eternity. If you believe in God but don’t see Him as your source of happiness and peace. Please repent of your sins and come to the Lord. Don’t see it as a waste of your life but as a start to a new life that will never end but will be up in paradise without our sweet Lord.
Acts 3:19
Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
By: Belinda (IG: @belindaaolmoo and TikTok: belindar.olmo)
Belinda is a contributing writer for Bible and Hot Cocoa blog. She is currently in graduate school for Clinical Mental Heath. Bel also has a bachelors degree in English, which is such a passion of hers. She loves to share her experiences and how God’s Grace has kept her in all of the good and the bad. Belinda wants to use social media platforms to share the Gospel and how Jesus truly saves. For more content feel free to check out her Instagram: belindaaolmoo, TikTok: belindar.olmo, and my new blog site: www.belindaspeaks.blogspot.com.
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