by Dave Dravecky
Embracing an eternal perspective can at times seem very elusive. The truth is, whether we are suffering or not, the demands of life can distract us and keep us from having that perspective.This often happens because we focus on our circumstances and forget who we are to look to for the strength to endure our journey through those circumstances. The Bible makes this clear in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 where Paul encourages us to not lose heart even when we are “wasting away.” Paul can encourage us in this way because he believes two very important truths. First, all the stuff we have to deal with, all the pain of life, is (and I am not in any way downplaying the pain of suffering) “light and momentary.” Second, our suffering is “achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” These truths are huge! They are at the core of keeping an eternal perspective. The Apostle Paul is saying that as much as we like it here, there is something better than life on earth, and it’s called heaven! So he encourages us not to put our focus on the circumstances of this life but to embrace His Son, Jesus Christ, and focus on what we can’t see but what we know is there—our home in heaven! Let me share why this is important to me. I was, and in some respects still am, afraid to die. At times I get caught up in my emotions and lose sight of the eternal reality. That’s when I become fearful and begin to doubt my faith and question if God is who He says He is. I lose sight of the Bible’s promise that “He who has the Son (meaning a relationship with Jesus) has life, he who does not have the Son of God, does not have life! These things I tell you so that you may know you have eternal life!” This is God’s promise: we can be assured of eternal life, and we can cling to that eternal hope no matter what! From time to time we’re all in that place of questioning, doubt, or fear. If you’re there, if you are feeling uncertain or overwhelmed, I encourage you to seek out the truth of God’s Word,embrace His promise of eternal life, and focus on the certainty of what you cannot yet see. That will change your perspective!
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