Gospel-Centered Mom: A 5-Day Devotional By Brooke McGlothlinУзор

Jesus, Jesus, and More Jesus

For those of us immersed in a me-first, individualistic, “I deserve to be happy” culture, Jesus’s call to come and die can feel more than a little daunting. But there is a positive side to suffering in the name of Jesus, dying to yourself daily, and giving up your dreams.

In every circumstance of life, we can look at what God is aiming to accomplish from two possible perspectives—either temporal or eternal. One is to seek out the immediate purpose for our current circumstances. We say to the Lord, Why are you letting/not letting this happen? Why am I going through this? I need to see the right-now purpose for my pain/discomfort/hardships!

The second and far more important perspective is to consider the much bigger, without-end purpose of God. It involves all we can’t see and a grand, overarching purpose that has existed for all time. God’s full, forever-and-ever-amen purpose has more to do with His glory than our wants and desires.

We were designed for the eternal but spend most of our time consumed by temporal concerns. We demand to see why yet have blinders on to the real and true eternal purpose of God. We have to take the blinders off and choose to have faith that God sees the better plan. There’s more than just now.

Living your life for Christ brings numerous practical benefits, such as better, deeper relationships and less life stress. But surrendering to Christ isn’t really about those things. They’re by-products of a life well lived, but they aren’t the main attraction. The main attraction has been and always will be Christ, who Himself was “a man of sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3).

The point of our salvation and even our sanctification isn’t to bring us happiness, possessions, or healing. It’s to heal our souls, make us right with God, and to demonstrate to the world such a great love that would stoop down to our level and give us a way to look up. What is the benefit, the prize of suffering? What’s in it for you? Jesus, Jesus, and more Jesus. More of Him, less of you.

Consider a recent parenting challenge you’ve had. How does your perspective change if you view that circumstance with eternity in mind? Remember, There’s more than just now.