Consider the plan of Christ. Highly exalted, there is no name like His. At His name, every knee will bow (Phil. 2:10). The eternal plan lying behind all His affliction was eternal glory—not only for Himself, but also for you. He returned to His Father differently than He came. He returned with His blood-bought bride, just as He planned in His eternal covenant with His Father. His church, figuratively speaking, ascended into glory with Him, accepted by the Father in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6). Think more of God’s eternal plan for you and your eternal end in glory if you would be more submissive under affliction and learn to praise God during trials and sufferings!
Your trials and sufferings in this life are but for “ten days” (see Rev. 2:10). Your life-to-come glory is forever. The “ten days” here are preparation for the glory to come. Affliction elevates your soul to heaven (Heb. 11:10) and paves your way to glory: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17).
Your rainy days on earth are nearly over. Don’t overestimate them. Think more of your coming crown and your eternal communion with God Triune, the saints, and the angels. “He that rides to be crowned,” John Trapp wrote, “will not think much of a rainy day.” As Frances Havergal (1836–1879) wrote in her well-known hymn “Light after Darkness”:
Light after darkness,
Gain after loss.
Strength after weakness,
Crown after cross.
Sweet after bitter,
Hope after fears.
Home after wandering,
Praise after tears.
Sheaves after sowing,
Sun after rain.
Sight after mystery,
Peace after pain.
Joy after sorrow,
Calm after blast.
Rest after weariness,
Sweet rest at last.
Remember, you are only renting here; your personal home is reserved there. Expect no heaven on earth (apart from spiritual foretastes by means of sanctified affliction), but trust that one day you will be with Christ forever, dear believer, overflowing with joy. You will have a utopian marriage with Christ. You will be as holy as He is holy. You will see Him and love Him as He is, and you will be like Him (1 John 3:2). He will see no sin in you. You will no longer complain with Paul, “Evil is present with me” (Rom. 7:21).
Not only will all evil be expelled from glory but all good will be walled into glory. You will enjoy perfect communion with God, the redeemed made perfect, and the holy angels. You will not have the least disagreement with anyone. Even Luther and Calvin will agree on everything. Your thoughts, your mind, and your soul—all will be made perfect.
Since the best is yet to come, do not make too much of afflictions here in this world. God is using them to prepare you for a better world—a world that focuses entirely upon Christ. Hang on to this truth, and you will never despair. Remember, what your fear may be the worst thing that can happen to you—death itself, is actually the best thing that can happen to you because then you will be with Jesus forever—and will never have to turn your eyes away from Him again.
Excerpt From
How Should We Consider Christ in Affliction?
Joel R. Beeke