My new class this week is Jesus: the Bridegroom with Brett Maverich. It's been challenging in a really good way. We have been talking a lot about the Bridal paradigm. This is basically a framework for processing life that believes that Jesus loves us and wants to live in intimate relationship and partnership with us for all of eternity. Brett talked about how everyone has a paradigm that they use to process their life. Life is really hard and our paradigm will influence how we approach pain, suffering, disappointment and difficult circumstances. When I believe that God is love and that His will is actually His overflowing heart for human beings, then I can trade in my hurt for joy and love. When I don't believe that God is love, then I will be more likely to choose anger and bitterness when I experience pain or difficulty in my life.
Now before this conversation happened, we had an equally challenging discussion in my Life of David class yesterday. We talked a lot about eternity and how our life on this earth is a really short span of time in comparison to forever. Clay Edwards asked the question, "How do you know that the prophetic promises you have received from God are for now? What if they are for the millennial kingdom, when we will rule the earth with Christ? What if you only experience partial fulfillment of God's calling on your life this side of heaven? How will you respond then?"
I must confess that this has opened up a lot of dialogue with God in my heart. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about eternity. I'm pretty focused on my life here on earth. And, as a 30 year old who has experienced tremendous blessing in life, I can tell you that I have already been tempted with disillusionment because things are not working out the way that I thought they would. God has not done a lot of the things that I thought He would have done in my life by now. And it hurts my feelings and makes quitting seem really enticing. But, I can normally get myself excited again by thinking, "Well, God just hasn't done it yet. But, He will! Or, He's going to do something even better that I never thought of instead." Then, I can keep going and my heart can stay tender toward Him. So, when Clay started suggesting that I may not see God fulfill some of the things that I am waiting for until eternity; that kind of stopped me. What?! Then, to make matters worse, he started focusing on how I would respond if that was the case. At that time, I started experiencing some real difficulty. What?!! You mean I might wait for the rest of my life for God to do these things that I desire to see Him do AND think that He told me He wants to do and I could still potentially enter heaven with them unfulfilled? Please tell me that this is not actually a possibility that I need to consider!
Then, this morning, Brett was talking about keeping a tender heart before the LORD. He told this story of a woman in her eighties who has experienced tremendous pain and loss in her life; much more than I have experienced. Yet, she has a joyful and tender heart toward God. She has continually walked with Jesus in such a way that she has chosen to allow Him to comfort her in her sufferings rather than become bitter and resentful toward God. This woman has decided that God's love is enough for her, no matter what difficulties she may experience. Now I'm really in a bind. I want to have that kind of tender heart toward God, all the days of my life, regardless of my circumstances. But, in addition to knowing that life is hard and I may experience any number of huge losses and painful situations, I now also know that the promises of God that I am eagerly looking forward to may not be fulfilled until after my earthly life is over. Yikes! How can I keep a buoyant heart for the decades of my life that remain despite this reality?
Because of His great love with which He loved us…and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places…that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7
The hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory…Eye has not seen, nor ear heard…the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:7-9
I can be confident that God loves me, that He wants me to be with Him forever and that He is going to be kind to me for all of eternity. God has prepared things for me that I cannot even imagine. I may not experience any of them on this side of heaven, but I can be confident that they exist and that they are a part of my inheritance in God. There will be a day when I see Him face to face and I enjoy unbroken communion with Him. And this side of heaven, I can rest in the knowledge that He will always be with me and that He is powerful enough to use any trouble that I experience for His glory and my good. There is truly no difficulty or disappointment that can separate me from the love of Christ as long as I keep saying "Yes" to Him.
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