No More Frustration or Pain

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

Before I begin blogging every morning, I pray for 20-30 minutes. I have a prayer routine and daily, I ask God to transform my appetite so that I want, not that which is self-destructive, but that which he wants. I’ve known frustration my whole life in desiring those things that aren’t good for me. As I abandon my way to follow God’s, I’ve seen my appetite and behavior transform for the better. I don’t want opioids anymore. Instead of doing everything my way, I’m learning to ask how my behavior will affect my wife. Still, I have my struggles and I’ll not be made perfect in this life. While in this body, I’ll always wrestle with pride, gluttony, anger, resentments, lust, and selfishness. My body and this world are broken and while here, I’ll always know internal conflict as I strive towards something I’ll never achieve.

One day though, all will be made perfect. In today’s passage, John spoke of a future that all Christians must believe in – That one day God will wipe away every tear so that sadness, frustration, and pain will be no more. We’ll no longer desire that which is evil. Evil won’t exist. No one can hurt us, and we won’t be able to suffer sickness, loss, shame, or grief because those things will be erased. One day, our desires will align with what’s right and nothing that happens in the universe will be frustrating or hurtful. One day, all will be made perfect.

That takes a lot of faith to accept though. The doubter will look at Christians and smirk. Suckers. That’s just a fantasy to make you believe that all this chaos and suffering will be made right in some fictional future. It’s a false promise, made up by man because we want to believe it.

I can’t prove it’s true of course. I can say though that in living as though it’s true – in living by faith – I’ve found recovery. In following God, I don’t have to wait until heaven to know a better life. My existence is infinitely better here and now for living by faith. I may never achieve perfection in this life and yes, that may be somewhat frustrating, but in knowing God and in finding recovery, I’ve come to know joy and peace on this Earth, despite its frustrations. No, I’m not perfect, but I’ve stopped burning my life down. So, today, and every day, I’ll continue to live by faith, clinging to God’s promises about my future.