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Beware Of The Eternal Now


Nothing lasts forever, right? Well, nothing earthbound anyway. Of course God is forever. And so is the human soul. But circumstances, life experiences-- good and bad-- are all momentary. We read that "the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17). But sometimes we feel like we're in a forever moment. No matter how much life moves around us, a specific circumstance may feel like it will never change. These forever moments can be good or bad. I remember getting married the feelings of joy and contentment that immediately followed that I felt wouldn't change. Or when I graduated college, or after having my first child. These moments of joy I wanted to last forever. But hardships come and with them bad forever moments. Like arguments, difficult pregnancies, unemployment, and lost friendships. The longer I live the more I find my forever moments are difficult. I love the line in Laura Story's song Blessings: "What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?" The truth is these hardships are good, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal (2 Cor 4:17-18). Right now I'm approaching the end of a physically easy pregnancy that's come with a lot of emotional challenges. At 39 weeks along I've gotten sucked into an eternal now moment, though I know I won't be pregnant forever, it sure feels like it! In my bible reading I came across this line in Psalm 119:70 "My suffering was good for me for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees."  Focusing on the suffering rather than the purpose of that suffering keeps me stuck in an eternal now. Dear Reader, if the suffering or struggle is eternal then there is no purpose to it. It becomes a hell-like punishment rather than a tool for my spiritual growth. On the flip side, a happy eternal now moment-- like a wedding-- can tempt us to find fulfillment in our circumstances rather than Christ. 

 Ponder this: a great tactic from the enemy is to make us feel like things will never change, good or bad. How can you see your suffering as purposeful rather than pointless? How can you caution your heart from attaching too deeply to blessings?

 My prayer: Dear Lord, whatever season we're in, please teach us not to see these circumstances as forever moments, but to see You as the One who gives and takes away for our good and-- most importantly-- for Your glory. May our lives honor You and You alone. Amen.

Comments

  1. Carole RuffinJuly 28, 2019 at 4:40 PM

    Funny story- Sophia was born the day after I wrote this post ;)

    ReplyDelete

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