When we were children, we always loved Saturdays. Good things always happen on Saturdays. So we’d slog through the school week to make the most of our glorious weekends. As childhood faded, we learned the weekend wasn’t that great and we found other things to propel us through hard work, like success. Unfortunately, secular life teaches us not to anticipate because nothing is fantastic enough to properly inspire us to endure hardships. So we spend much of our time seeking out the path of least resistance which in turn requires the slightest inspiration, anticipation, or hope.
As Christians, we believe that Jesus has overcome the world and that he reigns supreme from heaven. We believe quite a few things about our lives in his kingdom now and things about our eternal future. Yet life can seem to march on steady and solemn, irrespective of our faith. In the long days of our earthly struggles, it can seem like our faith resembles whimsical imaginary fiction.
I’m disabled right now, but my new heavenly body will be perfect. So when I trip over nothing, which happens sometimes actually, I focus on how awesome it will be to fly in my new body. I want to build genuine anticipation. Tripping over nothing can become a reminder of amazing things to come. If we practice this, we solidify and fortify our joy for life to come in eternity with Jesus. The Lord knows us and walks with us in unique ways. He’ll show you how to take your struggles and turn them into joy-empowering anticipation!
Jonathan Duncan
EFCC Member