When I was a kid, my grandmother could make some really wonderful desserts. She was known for some delicious homemade cakes and often baked them for other people during the holiday season. I can still remember the anticipation I would feel knowing one of her special desserts would be coming at the end of our family meals. The meal was always delicious, but I knew that she had saved the best for last. While she would reveal what she had made for us, we all eagerly waited for our slice of the goodness that was coming our way.
I can honestly say that I can’t remember one time that I was ever disappointed when I finally tasted the treat she had waiting for me. It was always worth the wait. The reward that came was worth all the “waiting” I had done until it was finally time to enjoy it. I was thinking about this today as I tried to process some of the thoughts going through my mind. My friend, I don’t know about you, but I have been reminded more than a few times lately that life isn’t always fair and very often doesn’t turn out the way we may have hoped.
Sometimes a lot of disappointments come our way. Sometimes we find ourselves waiting for what seems like an eternity for something that our heart longs to see. If you know a little of that which I speak, may I whisper something to your heart? Beloved, if you are a child of God, the best is yet to come. No matter what this life throws at you, the best is yet to come. Dear heart, you are still “eating dinner”, the “dessert” hasn’t gotten here yet. There is a day coming that will make it all worth the wait. There is a day coming unlike anything you have ever seen.
Beloved, I don’t know what cares are weighing heavy on you right now. I don’t know what wounds may be breaking your heart. I don’t know what burdens you may be carrying, dear one, but I do know this. He’s got something better for you. I know it may not feel like it and perhaps there’s a part of you wondering if things will ever get better. It will, dear one. There is a better day coming. It won’t always be this way, my friend, so don’t lose sight of the hope we have. These troubles you face… they won’t last forever; they have an expiration date.
In the midst of his suffering, Job spoke with hope of that day. “But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last. Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh. I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger, my heart longs within me” Job 19:25-27. I’ve cried as I typed these words. This is our hope my friend! Some day, this old flesh will pass away, and, in that moment, our eyes will behold Him. We will look into the eyes of the One who loves us beyond anything we can imagine!
I can hardly see to type as I ponder the beauty of that moment. Somehow, I get the feeling that in that moment these “momentary light afflictions” (2 Cor. 4:17) won’t seem all that important anymore. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it hurts. And yes, sometimes it’s almost too much to handle, but here’s what we have to do, my beloved. “We do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” 2 Cor. 4:18. Believe me; I know this is hard. I am battling with everything in me to do just that right now.
I can’t lie and tell you I am where I want to be, but I’m gonna keep trying. I’m going to ask Him to give me the strength to do hard stuff. I’m gonna ask Him to help me keep focusing on the eternal and not get so attached to this temporary stuff. I’m gonna ask Him to help me remember that a better day is coming and that is where my hope lies. Some beautiful day, I will see His face, the face that my heart longs for and all will be made well. Until that day, I have to keep readjusting my perspective when my focus gets off. I have to keep redirecting my thoughts to the eternal.
I’m not going to lie and say it is easy, but, beloved, we must decide how serious we are about growing in our walk with Him. We have to ask ourselves hard questions sometimes. We have to find godly friends with the courage to challenge us to live authentically for Him. We have to find friends who will pray for us when our strength is low. We have to get in the Word and find Truth to cling to. And we have to choose time and time again, to fix our gaze on the eternal, not the temporary. And when things get really hard, remind yourself that the best is still yet to come.
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured across and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne. Heb. 12:1-2
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. Rev. 21:4
Katrina Douglas
7/26/2022
