As a society, we have become mentally trained to expect what we want, now! A click of a button let’s us purchase what we want, to our door; a phone call or text, orders us the food we want, and sadly, social media has trained us all to get bored fast, and jump from one mind-tickling story to the next. Psychologists are claiming they’re watching mass population attention deficit disorder develop. Could it be that this “altering” of our mind has been the plan all along? We see in God’s word that we are urged to see the big picture - the panoramic view of life; the long game… are we still able to do that?
The Apostle Paul was “shown all things that he must suffer for Christ.” Why? Perhaps, seeing the end from the beginning helped him to keep the big picture in mind. After all, he states that, “To depart (this life) and be with Christ is FAR better,” and to “Live is Christ, but to die is gain.” He saw that the trials here were minuscule in comparison to the glories that are coming. Remember his words in Romans 8:18? “I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” He saw the bigger picture.
The Disciple John was the youngest of all the disciples, probably only 16 or 17, but he took the words of Jesus to heart. He knew that a bigger, better Kingdom was being built, and he saw past the temporary pain of watching (from the foot of the cross), his Savior’s cruel death. He knew there was much more taking place. He saw that the “Lamb of God” had come for this specific purpose. He saw the long Story. How fitting that God would let him see Heaven and share it with us in the book of Revelation.
Friends, as God’s children, we must not overreact to every evil that transpires, or even every victory. There are many highs and lows on the prophetic path, till Christ returns. If we ride every wave we will vacillate between frustration that God allowed this great injustice to occur, or pride ourselves that God did right by us. Both miss the point that each circumstance does not define God, but the work of His Cross defines Him. He is all Loving, all Righteous, all Holy, all Just, and in His character we rest. No matter what befalls us in this life, we trust in His character, not in circumstances of the moment. Our temporal mindsets are prone to make the trials diminish God, as though He was unable to prevent it. Nothing is more untrue.
But we MUST see the bigger picture, that He is working all things together for our good, and for His glory. As we mature in our faith, the bigger Story comes into clearer view, and we can smile at this world’s dilemmas as just another example that man desperately needs God. As God sets us apart and lifts our eyes to our real Home, we find that a perfect peace settles into our lives. Not because life is good, but because God is. Do we see it?
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