Let us resist the temptation to take the pen out of God’s hand and write the story ourselves. Let us rather wait and see how it all comes out. “It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26).
It helps to be reminded that growth, whether physical or spiritual, is an “incremental” process. An increment is a small change in something, so small as to be barely perceptible. And that’s how growth usually occurs: by small changes.
In one way or another, all have suffered. But those who have grown toward God are those who, when faced with suffering, have chosen the upward path rather than the downward. Transformation to greater glory is not automatic. It’s a choice.
Many of us may be happier than we think we are, based on the abundance in our lives of the little things that happiness is really made out of. Let’s not despise the little sources of happiness. Let’s not miss what is available to us.
Some of our tasks seem impossible. And so we do nothing. Fearing failure, we fail to act at all. But like the unfaithful servant who was rebuked for having done nothing with his master’s money, we may hear our Lord’s rebuke for what we didn’t do.
The question is not at what point we are satisfied, but at what point God is satisfied. And He will not be satisfied until we have been returned to the perfectly glorious image of holiness that He had in mind when He created us.
The trumpet-blast of the Lord’s return will arouse us to a life that will be life indeed. If we are found in Christ, the thunderous voice of the archangel will open our eyes to the real life we were created to enjoy, and we will enjoy it forever.
The Lord’s first appearing occurred “when the fullness of the time had come,” and His final appearing will also be timed perfectly. Meanwhile, we can wait in faith and hope and love. We can be faithful in His work, ready and waiting to see His face.
When we see life’s sun setting and we know our time is running out, we tend to see what’s important more clearly. But in truth, we don’t have to wait until old age or a dire doctor’s report. We can concentrate on what’s most important right now.
We should not miss the opportunities presented by our problems. It’s good to have the courage to face our difficulties, but we can do better than just be courageous. We can see in our difficulties the productive possibilities that they offer to us.
It is not the church building but the members of God’s spiritual family who make up His “house,” as made clear by the translation “household” in the ESV. This marvelous ...