he who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. [2 corinthians 5:5]
the promises of God. our hearts are softened by our belief in them, or hardened by our disbelief. our fleshly desires distract us from them, and our crafty enemy tempts us to chase the distractions rather than these promises of satisfaction. we have a promise of a life to come, with an eternal weight of glory beyond all compare, with eyes to see things unseen, able to worship God freely in his presence, without the hindrance of our earthly flesh. he gives us a guarantee of this promise. his very Spirit, living within us, keeping us and preparing us for this coming life, and even giving us a taste of it now.
when we stop believing in these promises, and start believing the lies of the enemy, our disbelief leads to sin. we chase a way that we think is a better way, that will lead to greater satisfaction than communion with our Maker. it’s ludicrous when we say it out loud. and with our mouth, we would almost never admit that we’re believing a lie about the Almighty. but our actions speak volumes. when we snap at our spouse, lose patience with our children, click on that image, laugh at that joke, and gossip about that person who isn’t present, we’re believing a lie. we’ve taken our eyes off of the prize, and fixed our gaze on a false satisfaction. our disbelief has pulled us from our purpose.
so how do we live in light of this beautiful thing for which we’re being prepared by God himself? by living in belief of His promises. when we believe he is able, willing, and even overjoyed to give us what he promises, it changes our outlook on our temporal life here. the draw of the things of this world is not as strong. our desire to follow our fleshly temptations is weakened as well. the beauty of God’s glory holds our gaze, and our feet can’t help but move in its direction.
today, consider whether or not you are believing in the promises of God. ask yourself these questions, or even discuss them with a friend.
- how are my life choices showing my belief in God’s promise of the eternal life to come?
- what recurring sin in my heart is manifesting the lies i believe about God?
- what activities in my life are based on simply trying to make this temporal home more comfortable or satisfying?
- what temporal things do I need to cut out of my life because they’re only distracting me from the reason God has put me here? (be honest and bold)
- how can I allow God to redeem the idols in my life by no longer using them for my own glory and comfort, and start using them for his eternal purposes? (money, house, job)
Father, help my unbelief. i believe that you are all satisfying. help my unbelief. i believe that this life is only a shadow of the weight of glory that is to come. help my unbelief. i believe that I am fully yours, sealed with the guarantee of your Spirit. help my unbelief.
~arwen eastman