The Journey

Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash

​It takes time for a seed to grow.

It takes time for a cake to bake.

It takes time to save up for a house.

And, just like anything in life, growing spiritually in relationship with the Lord takes time, too. It is a journey that, while it can seem long and painful at times, is really such a rewarding and fruitful one. In fact, it is the most beneficial, worthwhile and fulfilling pilgrimage of your life. (That is, if you let it be.)

It is an adventure that will awaken our senses, our minds, our hearts, our bodies, and our souls.

And, because we live in a fallen world, it is also an odyssey that is full of twists and turns, hills and valleys. Dangers are lurking everywhere—because the devil is out there—seeking whom he may devour.

But, praise the Lord, God is out there, too. And, not only is God out there, if we ask Him into our hearts, He is inside of us as well. He is with us and for us. The victory is His—He has already won the war for us on the cross at Calvary. Therefore, likewise, the victory is ours!
 
This sojourn that we take as Christians offers us a wealth of opportunities to grow and mature in Christ. It allows us to become more and more like Him every day. As Paul reminds us, we go from glory to glory.

It is an expedition that has its fair share of snares and thorns, but I am learning to embrace each of them. The wisdom and peace that comes with walking with God allows us to see every situation, most especially the bad ones, as opportunities to grow in grace and mercy and understanding. They are circumstances in which we can reach out to God and He will hold us tightly in His arms, being our comforter, our strength, our shelter, our foundation, and our fortress. He happily does all these things for us because He is our Father and our Creator, and He loves us.

I cry at this thought. At God’s mercy and grace and forgiveness; at His love for us.

I cry because, as a human, I can sometimes feel so very far away from Him.

I cry because I feel like I am failing miserably at sharing His love and light to all those around me.

But...

I am also happy because I have found God.

I am happy because I have an amazing example to follow in Jesus. And, I am working towards the goal of being more like Him.

I am happy because I know I have a home for eternity in heaven with Him.    

I am happy because, no matter what I do or don't do, no matter how many times I mess up, God loves me. He loves me unconditionally.

Sadness and happiness abound, sometimes even in equal measure.
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Such is the nature of being a human, I guess.

But, my point is this: the journey to Christ, in our relationship with Him, is worth it. It is worth the trouble. It is worth the effort. It is worth our blood, sweat, and tears. It is worth fighting for, for ourselves and others.

Why?

Because at the end of our journey we get to live with Christ forever in the new heavens and the new earth. That in and of itself should be enough. That should be all we need to know in order to strive for a healthy relationship with the Lord. 

However, the Bible tells us that our new home in eternity will be so much more than just being with God. (Again, I can't stress this enough, just being with God should be all we need.) Revelation tells us that God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Death shall be no more. There shall be no more mourning, crying, or pain.

And, to me, the added bonus is that all believers will be together. This means everyone I love here on earth, who is a believer, will be in heaven with me. 

I mean, can it get any better than that?!?!

Yes, yes it can.

How? I genuinely have no idea. But, I do know that the new heavens and the new earth will be more amazing and stunning than anything we could ever imagine with our tiny human brains. I believe it will be full of incredible surprises.

But, the most crucial aspect is this: we are talking about eternity here. Time without end. This will be forever. This is why our relationship journey with Christ is vital. For without this journey and without Him, we will be lost. We will be cast in the lake of fire permanently. 

And, I don't know about you, but to me, the choice between these two options is clear. I hope it is to you too.