It's all temporary - or is it?

 Audio Version

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

When life gets hard, when I'm struggling, I remind myself that everything in this life is temporary. When dealing with long-term health issues starts to get me down, I shrug my shoulders and say, "It's all temporary," because in Heaven, I won't be sick.

When financial hardships threaten to pull us under, I remind myself, it's all temporary, because in Heaven, there will be no bills.

When getting older makes me think I will never achieve my dreams, I remind myself that any measure of "success" I can achieve here on earth is all temporary and will mean nothing once I'm in Heaven.

It's all tempor......

Photo courtesy  melodi2, rgbstock.com

Oh wait!  There is one thing here on earth that ISN'T temporary - our relationships with others. The way we treat one another has long-term, even eternal affect.. If we are kind and caring, showing the love of Jesus to those around us, it could lead them to seek God, and in so doing, lead them to salvation through Jesus Christ.  Conversely, if we treat people poorly, if we are uncaring when they are struggling, unavailable when they need us most, if we don't show them the way to Jesus, that has eternal effects, too.  They may think that Christianity is a farce, because of the ill manners of the believers they've encountered. They may turn away from God because of the way He was misrepresented by Christians.

So, I guess the best thing to do is to invest whatever time we have left on earth in PEOPLE, for they are the only things that are NOT temporary.  Everyone is immortal. Everyone will live forever...in one place or another.

As for me, I want to influence as many people as possible to take that next step toward a relationship with God.

Prayer;
Father, I know that my behavior toward others has an eternal and permanent affect on their spiritual lives. I pray that I will always treat others with love and that I will always represent You in such a way that they are drawn into a relationship with your Son. Grant that my life will increase the population of Heaven and decrease the population of Hell.


--------------------------------------------------------
(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)