Having Eternity in Mind

 

*_Having eternity in mind_*

*So Job died, old and full of days.*

~Job 42:17

The interesting story of Job. A story that deals with the problems of pain, the problems of suffering. Why do the righteous suffer? Why are the ungodly oftentimes prosperous? Though there is no firm answer.

Righteous people often suffer, and what we know is we don't know the reason. Good people often experience pain; godly people sometimes die young; righteous people are often sick; we don't know the reason.

Sinners are many times prosperous; we don't know the reason. But because we don't know the reasons, we should not draw false conclusions as Job did saying things like: "It doesn't pay to try to live right. It doesn't pay to try to be good, because you're going to get afflicted anyhow." Those were wrong conclusions that Job drew from his experiences.

What we need to realize is that this present suffering is not worthy to be compared with the glory that is going to be revealed in us when Jesus comes for us. So if we do experience hardship or suffering or disappointment, you can't compare it with the glory that God is going to bestow upon us eternally.

*"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory"*

~2 Cor 4:17

It is important that we remember that as God deals with us, He always has eternity in mind. We always have today and tomorrow in mind. And we are oftentimes concerned with our present comfort or with our present prosperity. But God is interested in our eternal comfort, in our eternal prosperity and He's dealing with us over the eternal things,  although we are only thinking of this present life.

When God is working in your life, He's always got eternity in mind, for He wants you to enjoy the blessings of His kingdom forever.

Now, there may be things right now that are stumbling you and could drag you into the pit of hell. And so God, because He loves you and wants you to be with Him eternally, will oftentimes take away something that could deter you or turn your mind from Him. And it isn't that God doesn't love you, it isn't that God is angry with you, it isn't that God is actually punishing you. God is looking out for your welfare because He knows so much better than you know about your life and about the world around you and about your weaknesses, and God is trying to shield you and protect you.

I think that many times we're yelling at God and angry with God, "Oh, God, I wanted that. Why don't You let me have it?" Yet God knows that it could hurt you. God knows that it could destroy you. And God is always, always looking at you with the eternity in mind. And He deals with us with eternity in mind and that's why we do not always understand the present inconveniences or times of lack.

But God, looking at the eternal, is working in you His eternal purposes. And if you keep that in mind, then you won't be troubled when you see the ungodly prospering, because you know they're going to be cut down in a moment. Then you won't be troubled when you may be going through a hard experience, because you know that God is working in your life. That is why we are told, *"count it all joy when you fall into various trials"* (James 1:2). 

God loves you and God has eternity in His mind and He's dealing with you in light of eternity.