FOCUS ON ETERNAL JOY

"So 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 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)

I've been thinking of this verse a lot lately. I believe it presupposes one has "HOPE"…how can we have this Rx toward better thinking, if future thinking didn't have a positive outcome?

I used to just think of this verse only in terms of: 

Mortal=Seen vs. Immortal=Unseen. 

My children before transitioning=Seen/Temporary; My children after transitioning=Unseen/Eternal…

Another way I now look at this verse is: We can "see" the "unseen"- when we grasp the signs and winks our children may give us. "Signs","Winks" and "Visits", are an example of a"temporary"  physical link to us vs.our upcoming "eternal" (and not separable) linkage. 

If I only fix my eyes on seeing things of "destruction" though... I won't be able to see the "repair and restoration" that God promises us. What I focus on, greatly determines how I'm going to feel on any particular day.

What may seem eternal, is the suffering one experiences after our child physically dies. The excruciating pain does seem to be endless, for awhile.

Thankfully, our Physician does  know how to bind up our wounds:

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Psalm 147:3 (NIV)

It greatly helps me not to feel myself or my children got "cheated"…by thinking about what the first verse mentioned really tells me. All the "But they didn't do this, or get to have that experience", etc, are laments about temporary things of this world…I firmly believe my children have the Version 2.0 of whatever holds any real and lasting value. God's not a skinflint. If it's important for them to have, God will provide it. If God says it's not necessary for them to have up there…why should I sweat it? "Don't sweat the details" has a whole new meaning for me-since my children (and husband) transitioned.

I didn't use to feel that firm in my convictions, of course early on. I had all of the tears and wailings of all things considered "eternally" lost. For me and for them.

But that is where I made my mistake. My kids, our kids, have gone HIGHER not lower. Have MORE not less. Have more than sufficient! 

I believe that God is "Exuberantly Generous". I heard someone use that description about God, and I love it!

Think of the glorious future we have with our children in Heaven! 

As Jesus so frequently tells us, His worried and weary sheep…

"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom." 

(luke 12:32 (New Living Translation)

Now let's think on that!