Looking Forward

Warn them that this devotional has a sad part but the sadness will illustrate the joy of God.

We will start this time of study with what should be a simple question. Which one of you has lived your life without experiencing challenging times when you didn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? Who here has led a carefree life with no worries at all? Please raise your hand if you have. I’ll give you a moment to think about that.

I certainly can’t raise my hand to that question. I’ve gone through more than my fair share of hardships & challenges. I have shared with you the fact that I almost lost my life in a car wreck. On June 4, 2006, I was driving down a road after a rain & my car hydroplaned, spun off of the road, & hit a large tree. The impact knocked me unconscious. I was in a coma when paramedics arrived. I was taken to a hospital for treatment. That day I became a survivor of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Statistically most TBI survivors don’t live much longer when they are in a coma when EMS gets to them. But God had more for me to do so I overcame that tragedy. I was in a coma for almost a month & doctors didn’t know if I was going to make it or not. When I came out of the coma I spent more time in an acute care hospital. After time in that hospital, I was able to start rehabilitation. I will spare you the details of what I had to go through but I was in rehab at different facilities from July 2006 until August 2008. Those were inpatient & outpatient rehabs. For those two years, I was recovering from what happened in a split second on June 4, 2006. In the years since I have needed to be encouraged. I needed someone to tell me that I would make it through all of these hard times. Family & therapists gave me that type of encouragement.

Have any of you ever felt like that? Did you feel like you needed someone to put their arms around you with a hug of encouragement?

I have a book of devotionals that I read every morning. The book is David Jeremiah’s Walking with God.

Survivors of traumatic brain injury “celebrate” the date of the injury with what we call a rebirthday. It’s the day the TBI version of ourselves was born. Some survivors have a big party, some go out for dinner, & some try to forget it. As for me, it’s just another day that I remember what happened all those years ago. A great way for me to celebrate it would be if all my loved ones would forget what happened that day & it just be a regular day at the beginning of June.

On June 4th this year I celebrated my 18th rebirthday. I am thrilled to say that no one did anything different that day. Hopefully, no one but myself & God remembered what that day was. And, in His perfect timing, the devotional I read on June 4th was just what I needed to read. It was a dose of encouragement on a day that I needed it. The devotional was titled Looking Forward. I will share that devotional with you now.

JUNE 4

LOOKING FORWARD

“Looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace.” (2 PETER 3:14)

Whatever problems you're facing, news you're dreading, or burdens you're bearing, all will be resolved within two seconds of Christ's return. This world brings tribulations, but we can be of good cheer because Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33). When He comes, He will give rest to the troubled, & an eternal weight of glory for those facing "light momentary affliction" (2 Corinthians 4:17, ESV). Then we will see that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).

One day soon, our sighs will become songs, our heartaches will become hallelujahs, & our worldly woes will be swallowed up in everlasting joy. There will be no heavy hearts in our heavenly homes. That's why the Bible tells us to "seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Colossians 3:1).

Let's set our minds on things above (Colossians 3:2). Great joy comes to those who look forward to the Lord's return. Learn to visualize it, meditate on it, speak of it, study it, and pray, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).

The wonders that are to come are so glorious the troubles we go through now are not worth thinking about. If anyone in the Bible knew of hard times it was the apostle, Paul. He was persecuted more than any other Apostle. What kind of hardships did Paul have to endure? Here is a list of some of the things he went through: