From the time we are born we are in “preparation mode.” When you are a child, you prepare to go to school. When we finish 12 years of preparation, we preparefor college, career, or marriage. As we age, we prepare for retirement and the last half of our lives. So, over the years, it is safe to say we have all known we are to prepare for our future.
But no matter how well we have prepared physically, mentally, financially, even socially, a heart not prepared for the trials of life, we will face physical, mental, financial, even social, despair.
Every single person on this planet faces sorrow, and many times at great depths. Magnification of our despair can happen because our preparation was spent on what and not unseen. According to Paul and his letter written to the Corinthians, “what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal.” In other words, to “suffer well,” we need a heart prepared. A heart prepared anchors our soul, our entire being. When the storms hit, we will not go adrift and be lost at sea but secured in the Creator of the sea. A prepared heart doesn’t mean you don’t get tossed around and hurt in the storm, but you will not drown. Paul continues his letter with these words, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
How does one prepare their heart? By spending a few minutes every day reading, memorizing, the invisible inner strength of the Scriptures. Think of it like this; when you read the Bible, it is God personally speaking to you. By running His Words of truth through our minds, as opposed to false words or images, God is continually encouraging, comforting and preparing us for the trials to come. I am thinking time spent in that type of preparation, is the gift that keeps on giving.
Father, how grateful we are for your Word. Grant us all a thirst to read Your Scriptures, with a great understanding. Lord, protect us from the deception of the enemy. You want nothing more than for us to know your word and live accordingly. Thank you, Lord, for helping us catch every word from heaven and let it cultivate and prepare our hearts. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away. Yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
