In Thanks for A Future and a Hope

This world is broken. It is full of hurts, pains, sickness, and good-byes. Every day we see both the beauty and the chaos that co-exist in our imperfect world. The beauty, the goodness, the love is what makes me so thankful that this world is not the best there is.  The best is yet to come.  Last year I wrote about how thankful I am for The Church. After spending a weekend in November with one of our supporting churches and sharing with a church and various people during our road trip, I’ll second that post and once again say how thankful I am God gave us The Church. This year, I’m so thankful for heaven.

I’m thankful that faith will be given eyes and hope will be fulfilled.  I’m thankful relationships will be fully reconciled. I’m thankful we will not be sick, hurt, maimed, or broken. We will be whole. I’m thankful all day, everyday I will walk and talk with Jesus, learning more about Him everyday. My heavenly Father will hold me and restore all that is lacking in me. All things will be true, beautiful, and good in heaven. We won’t have to seek those things out, we will be surrounded by them constantly, forever.

Sometimes doubts seep into my heart and mind. I doubt my salvation. I doubt that heaven can really, truly be all that I can imagine. I doubt how much I’ll really relish being in God’s presence. I doubt what eternity is like and how I’ll survive it. And then I beg God for peace that surpasses understanding and faith beyond measure to trust Him in those doubts. I ask for a longing for heaven, for the wonder and perfection that will accompany being there.

I’m thankful God answers prayers and that He holds me and loves me amidst doubts. I’m thankful He doesn’t answer all my questions and that someday He will. Someday all the questions I have will be answered or will be irrelevant. God is mysterious and life brings plenty of mystery of its own. Sometimes, like with questions of heaven, we have to learn to just be okay with mystery, with not knowing. And not only that, but appreciate and give thanks for the unknowns.

God has been so good to me to save me, to reconcile me to Himself. I’m thankful for that. I’m thankful He’s written me in the Book of the Lamb and written His words across my heart and that He is preparing a place for me.  One day I will know and see; for now, I will embrace being a manager of the mysteries of Christ and trust that the goodness, beauty, and truth we find in this world pales in comparison to what the next one holds.