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Living Toward Eternity

Sometimes, breakthroughs don’t come unless we first seek an eternal perspective. Such was the case when I needed to confront the agitation I had placed under the surface of my life. It left me vulnerable and afraid. I’d gone into self-protection mode with anger as my shield. I knew I needed a trusted voice whose faith was mature, so I asked my mom to help during this time.

As we prayed and read Psalm 91:1-4 together, I broke agreement with what I feared, knowing the enemy had set a snare but believing God was my deliverer. In doing so, I leaned into eternity—into truth, love, and God’s faithfulness. My mom reminded me that faith is a day-in, day-out choice of the eternal and to live in such a way that our lives here on earth align with our divine inheritance. She spoke with confidence to me that following Jesus is trusting that every Word of God is true, healing, and transformative. Having my mom through this time was an invaluable gift to me—to both of us. When we pursue this life in light of eternity’s perspective, we need the strength of another to walk it with us.

When I encountered Jesus at nineteen, I wanted nothing more than to learn, see, and follow hard after Him. Owning my life ended then and there—willingly. Happily, even. My journey thus far has been full of imperfections, blunders, tragedy, routine, trauma, discipline, joy, and triumph, and in it all, God is everything to me.

Although it can feel self-defeating, choosing what is eternal is not detrimental to our lives. “We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor. 4:18). There is a whole other world at work that we cannot see with the naked eye, a world that is more real than the one we have our feet set on and from which we receive our oxygen. When we don’t understand or have a vision for something greater, we significantly limit our participation in God’s extraordinary plan here on earth.

The purpose of this week together is not simply to engage our minds logically and practically but to point us back to Jesus Christ and the power of His Word. Oh, that we’d become passionate, wholehearted followers of Jesus Christ—free to ask what really matters? Together, we are taking sail in the direction of freedom. I promise, it will be worth it. 

What might be the next step in your pursuit of God? Is there anything or anyone hindering movement in this direction? Today, what are you willing to lay down as you wholeheartedly pursue the call to follow Jesus?