“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16 – 18
In these verses, Paul gives to us the 50,000 feet high perspective of our life on planet earth.
Did you ever notice that, the closer you are to a difficult situation, the harder it is to see and understand what is happening? The longer that we live on planet earth, the more we should realize that our present circumstances are simply that – i.e. they are present circumstances, they are temporary, and they too shall pass.
James – the half-brother of Jesus (The poor guy. Can you imagine being raised in a family in which your big brother was perfect and never did anything wrong? But, I digress.) – makes a very astute and Holy Spirit inspired observation, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while then vanishes.” James 4:14
The prophet Isaiah, also speaking for God, accurately observed, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field …The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:6, 8
Despite this teaching from the Word of God, for some crazy reason, we devote most of our time and energy pursuing the temporary things of this temporary world even though we know with 100% certainty that we are going to die and take nothing with us.
Thank God for the Bible. Without the written Word of God, each of us would be left to our own imaginations to try to figure out the truth about heaven and hell, life and death, the eternal and the temporary.
The Bible is God’s love letter to us. And, we have the privilege to read the Bible daily so that we can know what to expect in this life and in the world to come.
Proverbs 14:1 tells us, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’”.
The prophet Jeremiah tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” Jeremiah 17:9
Solomon, to whom God gave the gift of wisdom, said, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5 – 6
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus gives a “new heart” to every person who chooses to follow Jesus as the one and only Savior of the world. It is a heart of courage, a heart of peace, a heart of love, a heart of trust, and a heart that is focused on Christ.
Because our hearts have been made new through faith in Jesus Christ, we are told: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:1 – 4
So, the next time that discouragement or fear rears its ugly head in your life, remember: THE HEART OF THE MATTER IS A MATTER OF THE HEART. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. Jesus loves you. Jesus holds you safely in the palm of His hand. Jesus will never forsake you. Jesus will never let you go.
“You think about that.” Amen.
Nick
© 2020 Nicholas Cook
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