Where is Your Hope?

As I was reading Colossians 3:2(Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth) today I was thinking "yeah, I just wish it were that easy." Having an eternal perspective can be so flabbergasting and so hard to imagine that I find myself thinking at times that it sounds great but so unattainable. Today as I meditated on this verse I thought about a testimony I heard about how one woman learned to live with an eternal perspective. Allow me to share it with you. . .

Mollie had become a Christian at a young age. Later in her life she met and married, Al, a thriving wealthy Christian businessman. Al and Mollie built a large home in a well-to-do neighborhood and had 4 children. They were involved in church ministry, had the best things money could buy, their children were wonderful, and they had great friends. They were living the American dream.

As the years went by Mollie began to notice that Al was withdrawn, irritable, and evasive. But she kept telling herself that he was a busy man, so she just avoided upsetting him and made excuses for his behavior. Before long it was obvious their marriage was in trouble. The only time they talked was when finances and schedules demanded it or when others were around. When Mollie would try to talk to Al about their problems, he would remind her of the life he had provided for her. After months of trying to talk and their marriage continuing on a downward spiral she decided to seek help, but Al refused to seek counseling for himself. He insisted she was the only one with a problem.

She found a counselor and after months of continued hurt, discouragement and being frazzled , Mollie went with two of her closest friends for a weekend get away. She needed to clear her head and decide what to do next. Most of all she need the encouragement these women could provide. As they headed out for the beach condo she was excited about the weekend away and relieved, but she didn't have a clue what was transpiring at home.

Back home, Al was loading the moving truck. Over the past year he had been planning his and the children's exit. He had slowly moved his assets into his partner's name. Not only was he determined to leave, but he was determined to destroy Mollie (emotionally and financially).

Upon Mollie's return home on Sunday evening she found the house empty except for a bed, a table and her clothes. She could not make sense of it and began to call friends looking for her family but no one knew where they were. She then began to call Al, but none of his numbers were working. Finally she found a note in the kitchen: "I'm not coming back, I won't give you visitation rights unless you make this easy. You will fend for yourself from here on out." She was devastated. She cried for days and tried to make sense of her life. As the days passed she faced the most difficult time of her life. Things that she had looked to for her daily support had all disappeared and her life would never be the same. What would she do? She finally turned to her Pastor and after months of counseling, studying God's Word and praying she realized that her hope had been in man, material things, family, money, her lifestyle and friends. She had built her house on sinking sand and it happened without her realizing it. Although she was a Christian, Christ was not where her eyes and heart were fixed, she had fixed her eyes upon earthly treasures alone.

Today Mollie is working and supporting herself. She has seen her children a few times since Al left and she has begun to make new friends. The last time I spoke with her, she told me "I'm standing!" She has hope! Firm steadfast, and trustworthy hope. The fear has been replaced with courage. The saddness has turned to joy and she has a desire to live.

What happened? Where did the changes come from? She started to look at life through an eternal perspective and when she did she got her hope back.

Having an eternal perspective helps us know how to live in this sinful world. Until we think with an eternal perspective we don't understand what is truly important nor will we know what to do with our life. It brings a Christian a genuine hope no matter the circumstance and produces courage and discernment. Without an eternal perspective Christianity makes no sense ("If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men - 1 Corinthians 15:19). Everything God calls us to do with our hearts and hands points to the reality of eternity. If all we have is this life, then what comes next? Our life on earth is just prep work for the eternity that awaits us.

Eternal perspective also helps us see that this world is not left to incidental happenings and disorder. It's the exact opposite, it's a world under the rule of a Redeemer who loves us so much that he gave his life for us and so powerful that he can defeat even death. There is reason for hope when we realize that our life is in the hands of the One who "created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. . . and is before all things and in him hold all things together."

What Mollie discovered was that the things of this world were never meant to give hope or life. Because she came to that realization (by God's grace), she lives with hope and courage she never had before. Her eyes had been fixed on earthly things (love of man, material things, family, money, lifestyle and friends) but are now fixed on eternal things.

So I ask you, are your eyes fixed on the eternal? Is your hope in the eternal? Are you asking people, circumstance, and things to do what they were never meant to do? Are you looking to this world to be your God? What holds your hope?

One day, you and I will be on the other side. Will we say, "Salvation belongs to our God, and to the Lamb!"? Will we be able to say then that the hope we have never disappoints us?