“. . . 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 Corinthians 4:18
The experiences of life, and the emotions that come with them, can be complicated. We see destruction, death, chaos, hatred, abuse, and hurting people. We also see beauty, life, order, love, joy, and happiness. It can all overwhelm and dominate our experiences at times, and we don’t see God in it all.
Whatever our experiences are, we all are made in God’s image, but we have turned away from him and have instead gone after whatever will ease the pain of this broken world. In all of the emotional complexity, we can make the mistake of giving the power of life and death to people, and seeing them before we see anything else. It’s easy to get carried away with the finite ways of this world and forget that our true hope is in the infinite that we cannot see.
All that we see and experience is going to pass away and have an end, except one thing—Christ. Christians will experience affection for Jesus forever and ever. He gives us so many promises for us to cling to, promises not yet fully realized in the here and now. But these eternal promises are fully realized today in Christ Jesus, and can’t be destroyed by moths and rust. They are eternal, forever, and fully present in the work of Jesus.
So whether you are in a place of suffering, despair, or discouragement, or one of peace, happiness, and prosperity (or all of it at once), your joy is eternal and based solely on God’s promises revealed in Jesus Christ.
Cling to those truths.
Fight for those truths.
Believe those truths.
Live by those truths.
As you remember and cling to the promises of God, you will see the unseen and the eternal.
