I love life. I love to experience nature and connect with friends. I love to discover God through His Word and by spending time with Him. I love to live and see miracles daily.
“So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13)
God wants us to enjoy our lives. He gave them to us, after all. Yet, scripture also tells us to have a longing for Heaven and to make sure that eternity remains our ultimate focus.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:1-3)
Don’t ever feel guilty for enjoying your life. Life is good. Life is a gift. In that enjoying, though, never forget that this life is only preparation for eternity. Life here may be good, but eternal life is better.
@Vaderalman
I'll have to be honest in saying that it is easier to focus on eternity when things are going to hell here. When things are wonderful and joyful and enriching I sometimes just never want them to stop. I know I feel that I want heaven to wait because this is so nice.
I do not do the longing for heaven well Kari.
Kari Scare
I have to be honest too and say, me too. Eternity definitely seems more appealing when life here is rough, and in the flesh we want it to wait when things are going well. I don't do that longing well, either. This post was me being deliberate about proclaiming the truth that Heaven truly is vastly better than anything we can imagine.
@Vaderalman
I know you are right and I know that it is better than we can imagine. But I think sometimes we we say something is better than we can imagine then we don't really try to imagine it. So in effect I make it less great because I don't imagine it at all. I fall into the trap that if it is greater than I can imagine then why should I even try to imagine and then I kind of just end up ignoring the reality that it is so awesome. Keep proclaiming the truth Kari! We need to hear in and need to believe it deep in our souls.
Kari Scare
As I age and realize that I am getting closer to that day, and as I realize that many of my loved ones are closer than I am if we consider age the only factor at this point, I have to find some way to manage the idea that life on this earth will one day end. For me, I could easily get overwhelmed by that and could easily get distracted from living if I think about it too much. So, deliberately choosing to think of eternity helps me tremendously.
@Vaderalman
Is that an actual picture of your family there and you SANS sunglasses!!! 🙂
Kari Scare
Yes, it is.
Mary McCauley
Before Nate came into my life I thought often about those who are waiting for me in heaven and while I enjoyed what I was doing and love the family and friends here I often longed to be there. This past year I still stand in Awe of all God has done and created and look forward to the day I will be with Him forever, but not with the longing I once had. I do want to successfully finsih the race. I am grateful for each day I have.I know I am blessed, but there are moments when life seems totally overwhelming and I think, boy heaven will be nice. After all if is the prize, but then again maybe we need to make heaven on earth a goal as well. thanks Kari.
Kari Scare
I agree. I think that's why scripture exhorts us to enjoy life here today but to keep our eyes set on Heaven too. We can't be so earthly minded we do no heavenly good and so heavenly minded we do no earthly good.
yvonneroot
A few days before my mom died we needed to decide whether to take her home or leave her in the hospital.
How best to decide? Why, ask her of course.
We asked her which she would rather do. She said she wanted to go home. For some reason we mistook her answer to mean she wanted to go home to a two bedroom, one bath bungalow. How odd. She meant the mansion which was awaiting her.
Kari Scare
Awesome story! Inspiring too. Thank you so much for sharing.
Loren Pinilis
I think it's a great thing to enjoy life! It's a foreshadowing of the joys we'll have in heaven, so that helps me keep my focus on eternity. Being thankful to God for the great things keeps me eternity-focused too.
Kari Scare
Sometimes I feel guilty for enjoying life too much, but then I think about how it's just tantalizing me for eternity. That gets me even more excited and greatful too.