I don’t know what kind of week you’ve been having, but I’ve got some good news for you: The Best is Yet To Come.
Now let me explain. That’s not just a fun catchphrase or a fortune cookie or a cheesy bumper sticker! It’s something that I truly, deeply believe. Biblically, no matter how crazy things get, God has good things for you. How do I know that? Well first of all, because this life isn’t all there is. My Bible tells me that real life starts on the other side, when we’re with Christ for eternity.
It’s easy to get all bound up in the issues of right now. They seem like the most important thing in the moment, but most of those things won’t matter in eternity. The more we are focused on the forever life God wants to give us, the less power those stressful moments have over us.
When God says something, I believe him. If he says he’s got my best interest in mind, he does. But he also provides evidence of the good things to come. That evidence is given to us in the Person of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 1:13-14 says that we are “sealed” with the Holy Spirit because he is “the guarantee of our inheritance.”
When we give our lives over to Jesus, and invite him to transform us, he gives us his Spirit. The Spirit of God is the preview of what’s to come. If you’ve ever felt the joy or the presence or the peace of God’s Spirit, you’ve gotten a glimpse of Heaven.
There’s a promise that comes with the presence of God’s Spirit: God’s not done working on any of us. He is working, reshaping, and transforming each and everyone of us. If we don’t resist the Spirit, but allow Him to do his work then each day, we’ll become more like Jesus.
As we allow the Spirit to lead us, our lives take on the characteristics of Jesus. In the words that Jesus taught us to pray, his kingdom comes, his will is done through us on earth as it is in heaven.
And that’s what we’re all waiting for, isn’t it? Heaven, where we live with resurrected bodies in God’s perfect presence forever. I was talking about Heaven with one of my kids the other day. They said, “Dad, I’m nervous about Heaven.”
I wanted to know why. (I don’t pull any punches. I can’t wait for Heaven, and the idea of being nervous never occurred to me.)
They seemed seriously concerned and asked, “Won’t I be bored?”
I’ve heard so many kids ask this same question! It’s such a funny question to me because of what I read in the psalms.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11
There is NOTHING boring about our God. He created laughter and pleasure and joy and fun, and that’s what waits for us in eternity.