Third, God has eternal purposes that transcend our circumstances.  Jesus’ original apostles suffered pain and persecution at the hands of many people.  I am sure there were days when they questioned the value of their sacrifice.  But would any of us argue against the fact their experiences were indispensable?  Aside from the work they accomplished, don’t we often reference their trials and attempt to model our reactions to hardship after theirs?

But these experiences obviously were not confined to the early church.  Are you aware some of the church leaders who first tried to translate the Bible into English were hunted down by brothers in Christ and on occasion tortured and killed for their efforts?  You may be more familiar with stories of missionaries who were murdered within hours, or even minutes of encountering a people group.  Today, Christians around the globe are still tortured and murdered for their faith.  Is God at work in these situations?  Absolutely!  Our vision of God’s plan is limited to the things we can see, hear and touch.  His is eternal.

Is it hard for you to stay focused on God’s plan with your temporary circumstances threaten to defeat you?  How do you avoid being distracted?

Dear God, reveal your eternal vision to me daily.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.