Most of us humans are shortsighted. Like, literally shortsighted.
We live for the day, the week, perhaps a few weeks in mind. Yes, there are those who plan for decades at once, and yet the things that they plan are as perishable as the mind planning them.
I was recently reading this book by Morgan Housel, “Same as Ever” and it was interesting how he cited research on how predictions are nothing more than numbers that have as many chances to occur as to not occur.
If it’s all a matter of chance and nobody knows what tomorrow brings, why care?
Why save? Why love? Why learn? Why even get out of the bed?
Well for one, we all know, it matters. And on some level, we all know, death is never the end.
Different religious beliefs hold on to different ideas- some promote transcendence, others reincarnation.
And for those in Christ, we look forward to the eternity to come. Therefore, it matters how we live not just today, but every day with the eternity in mind.
The Sufferings of Today Vs. the Glory of Tomorrow
If one statement could be true for all mankind, it would be “we hate suffering“. Yep, believers, non-believers, none in their sane mind would ask God to bless them with more and more of that cup, ever.
Even Jesus, with all reverence, prayed for the cup to be taken away, if at all possible (Matthew 26:39). His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luke 22:44), while his disciples snored off (story for another time).
What is it about suffering that we would rather say, “No, thank you”?
I remember reading C.S.Lewis’ Problem of Pain and being stuck at this section:
Over a sketch made idly to amuse a child, an artist may not take much trouble: he may be content to let it go even though it is not exactly as he meant it to be.
But over the great picture of his life—the work which he loves, though in a different fashion, as intensely as a man loves a woman or a mother a child — he will take endless trouble — and would, doubtless, thereby, give endless trouble to the picture if it were sentient.
One can imagine a sentient picture, after being rubbed and scraped and re-commenced for the tenth time, wishing that it were only a thumb-nail sketch whose making was over in a minute.
In the same way, it is natural for us to wish that God had designed for us a less glorious and less arduous destiny; but then we are wishing not for more love but for less.
C.S Lewis, Problem of Pain
I am half-amused as I write this, God loves you enough to rub you over and over again until you become that vessel of honor that He could use for His purpose. (2 Timothy 2:21)
The pain of today will surely seem dim when compared to the glorious riches of eternity. If only we could hold on, stay strong and persevere despite the trials.
Are you going through hard times? Rejoice for restoration awaits! And in the meantime, don’t forget to celebrate His faithfulness.
For God is good, all the time!
P.S. Check out my blog on 5 Things To Do If You Are Going Through A Tough Time | SeeCaptions
