Not forever

Though it may seem sometimes that the bad in life is forever, from a financial struggle to a breakup, the truth of the matter is that better days are yet to come, right?  Well, at least for the optimistic, you may say.  And I hope I don't sound too naive to you today, but my purpose in this post is to remind you that there is reason for you to believe that even though we may be in situations far from good, we are still in the position to hope for e better future.

We need to be aware of the reality of this world that we live in.  Bad things can and happen to good people, and good things apear to happen to bad people.  Yes this world is unfair.  Even the children if Israel complained about it saying: "What’s the use of serving God? What have we gained by obeying his commands or by trying to show the LORD of Heaven’s Armies that we are sorry for our sins?  From now on we will call the arrogant blessed. For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them suffer no harm" (Malachi 3:14-15, NLT).  Yes, from an angle, this is the reality of the world we live in, and may be, in recent days, weeks or even months, this has been your reality.  So how do we make sense of the importance of being faithful to God if there is no guarantee of us avoiding bad in our lives?

Again, the reality of this world is attached to the reality of sin, and yes, it is un unfair world.  Until we are part of the new heavens and the new earth (Revelations 21:1), we will be exposed to this reality.  But "No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).  This is for this world.  We are capable of enduring whatever we may be facing today, and still let hope illuminate our lives. Of the list faithful servants of God, the bible says: "All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth" (Hebrews 11:13).

Beyond the previous statements, we are called to aim for a higher goal.  In the message to the church of Smyrna, God says: "Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life...  Whoever is victorious will not be harmed by the second death." (Revelations 2:10-11).  Yes, it is a life in a sinless world that we aim for.  To the complains of the Children of Israel, God asure them that soon it will come the day in which "you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not" (Malachi 3:18).