eternity Archives - Marissa Henley

The Glorious End {No Matter What Monday}

June 24, 2019 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Why do days filled with mundane tasks tick by so slowly, and vacation days fly by so fast? January and February feel like they will never end, and June just goes zipping by. Happy times seem like minutes compared to seasons of suffering that seem endless.

And yet, today’s verse takes a different view of time. In God’s timeline, our time of suffering slips by quickly, and our time of glory stretches without end.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (I Peter 5:10)

Peter says, “After you have suffered a little while . . .” Does this make you want to roll your eyes?! Or maybe scream at Peter that he has no idea what he’s talking about? Our suffering doesn’t feel temporary!

Peter understood that suffering sometimes seems endless, but he also understood the truth about the “God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ.” Here, Peter highlights the contrast between our temporary suffering and our eternal glory in Christ. Our present trials are like a gnat on the Mt. Everest of eternity with Christ.

As the verse promises, “God will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” The Lord will bring this to an end—the outcome doesn’t depend on us. It’s a gift of His grace in Christ. He will restore us. He will confirm our position as His children. He will strengthen us by His mercy. He will establish us as heirs of His promises.

One of God’s purposes in our suffering is to point us to its glorious end. One day, He will turn evil on its head and our joy will be sweeter because of our pain. As Tim Keller says, “The evil that hurts us now will be the eventual servant of our joy and glory eternally.”

No matter what we face this week, there will be a glorious end to our suffering.

Your Waiting Will Not Last Forever {No Matter What Monday}

November 19, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Do you remember what it was like to have out-of-town visitors arriving in the days before cell phones? When I was a kid, I loved the days when our grandparents were coming to town. We knew how far they were driving and could ballpark a estimated arrival time, but we couldn’t be certain. All day we’d watch with eager anticipation for our loved ones, never knowing when the doorbell would end our waiting.

We’ve been talking about waiting for the past couple of weeks. We have courage because it’s the Lord we are waiting for. We remember that God is good to us while we wait. And today let’s find comfort in the promise that our waiting will not last forever. Whether we receive the desires of our hearts here or in heaven, there will be a glorious day when all our waiting will end.

“It will be said on that day, ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited on him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.’” (Isaiah 25:9)

One day, we will behold our God and realize that all we need is Him. Can you imagine seeing the Lord and wishing you’d gotten that new car you’d always dreamed of? Everything else we’ve been waiting for will flee from our thoughts as we see the glory of God and enjoy His presence forever.

This line from a song by Sandra McCracken is one of my favorite descriptions of that day: “He has done great things, we will say together, we will feast and weep no more.”

Can you picture all of God’s people together, finally seeing the full goodness and beauty of our Lord and Savior, giving Him praise for all the great things He has done? Can you see the eyes that will never again cry sorrowful tears? On that day, we will have all we have ever waited for in Christ.

No matter what you face this week, your waiting will not last forever.

A Future of Everlasting Joy {No Matter What Monday}

June 4, 2018 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Last week, I was listening to a friend wrestle with a big decision when she said something that really resonated with me: “I wish I could see into the future.”

One of my greatest frustrations in life is not knowing what’s ahead. Honestly, I struggle to trust God’s wisdom in not sharing this knowledge with us. Some days, I feel like I’m standing with my face scrunched up against the glass of time, desperate for a glimpse of what’s to come. It feels like it would be so much easier to navigate the hardships and choices of today if I had a clue about what tomorrow holds.

But God, in His perfect wisdom and faithfulness, tells us in His Word exactly what we need to know about our future—no less and no more. We know that for those who are in Christ, there will be a glorious end to our suffering, an imperishable inheritance, and eternal life in heaven. And in this verse from Isaiah, we learn that our future is filled with joy:

“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 51:11)

Glorious singing. Joy that lasts forever. Not striving for happiness and abiding joy, but owning it always. No more sorrow, no more burdened sighs. Because of our Savior, we have been ransomed from this broken world, and this is the future that awaits us. Isn’t it beautiful?

When we wrestle with the hardships and choices of today, let’s cling to the promise of our glorious future. When we can’t see what’s ahead, let’s hold tightly to the One who holds all our tomorrows in His hands. When life overwhelms us, let’s remember the promises of our heavenly Father, who will carry us through the cares of this life and bring us into our joy-filled eternity.

No matter what you face this week, the Lord promises a future of everlasting joy.

The Greater One {No Matter What Monday}

October 23, 2017 by Marissa Leave a Comment

Have you ever seen the Who Would Win book series? These children’s books depict a hypothetical battle between two animals and predict the outcome. Could a giant squid defeat a whale? What if a tiger and a lion dueled to the death? What about a tarantula vs. a scorpion? That’s a match I hope I never have to see!

Some days, the world around us might make us wonder, “Who’s gonna win? Will God really come out on top here, or are the forces of evil too great?” It seems like sin, wickedness, and death are winning. We watch violence rage around the world, disease threaten those we love, and sin rips families apart.

The Bible is the ultimate Who Would Win book, and the outcome is not hypothetical. Spoiler alert: Jesus wins. And because we are united to Him by faith, His victory is our victory.

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)

He who is in you (God the Spirit) is greater than he who is in the world (the devil and the forces of evil). God’s victory has already taken place. Jesus Christ sits at the Father’s right hand and reigns over all powers and dominions (Eph. 1:19-21). His Spirit dwells in us, reminding us to not lose heart because glory is coming (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

If your heart is discouraged today, remember that the One who loves you and gave Himself for you is the same One who has overcome the world. The middle of your story might be messy and hard, but you know how this one ends.

And as you wade through the muck of sin, evil, and life in this fallen world, the One who is in you – the One who will never leave you or forsake you – is greater than your most threatening enemy. You have overcome, because He has overcome.

No matter what you face this week, He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.