Keep The Hope

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first.

Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!

Therefore comfort and encourage one another with these words."

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Look forward, don't look back. Our futures are sealed for us in heaven and will last forever. These will be the good times, and these are the times that we are encouraged to look forward to. Looking back only tells us that we have taken her eyes off of our future. 

Knowing what is ahead of us will help us do it we need to do while we have daylight to do it, as Jesus said. He also said that we must be about our fathers business, just as he was and continues to be. 

Thinking about things that 'could have been' turn our hearts into a pile of mush that is no good for the work of the kingdom of God. 

I am not advocating a heartless personality or nature about us, but I am advocating a vision that is stronger in us and in  anything in the world. 

Our hearts will battle us fiercely and douse us with doubt if we give them free reign in our life.  Losing a loved one, divorce, failure at a task, and many other heart issues can drag us down. 

Jesus said he who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is not worthy...  worthy of what? His love? No, he loves us no matter what, and he understands the pain we are suffering in hearts.  But if we get caught up in the emotions and remain there, we can not see clearly to do the work of God.  Instead, with the hope he has given us, we can stand firm and clear of the influence of this world can have upon us IF we keep looking forward.