Now that a new year has come, our hopes are renewed for a better life. We think of prosperity, for smooth relationship paths, promotions, and pleasant ministering experiences. We humbly ask God to favor us this year and to bring good things in our way. As Christians, we know no other means more fitting than depend on God and faithfully hope that He would look upon us with mercy.
When we look to the future, all is but vague hues of expectations and aspirations. The details of our lives are so uncertain. It is only but natural to hope for beautiful things, but these hopes become wrong when it eventually translates to entitlement. It seems as though, when problems, sufferings, and persecutions come, God is against us. And instead of looking to God more eagerly, we look the other way. We dissolve in sorrow and waste away in our anxieties.
Acts 14:22 reads,
“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”
Christians are called to go through tribulations as we enter the kingdom of God. It was not an unsettled and ambiguous statement of Paul, but rather an incontestable reminder for us to be prepared. However terrifying this may be, this passage is afloat of two encouragements for us.
1. A Determined Path.
When tribulation comes to us, we are instinctively distressed about it. But when we look into this passage, we know that tribulations were already set upon Christians to walk into as we live our faith in Christ. If we suffer in this life and approach it in the attitude of Christ, it is almost as if we see ourselves walking with Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress through that "straight path" to Celestial City. So in one way, we may be distressed but we also rejoice in suffering and persecutions knowing that we are in the path where God wants us to be. Only true Christians would understand this state of emotions.
2. A Determined Destination.
This is the greatest comfort and joy we must hold onto. Our journey might be hard and full of defiance, but the Lord had already gone before us - not only that but He had set our destination. 2 Corinthians 4: 17 says, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” Our future dwelling is in heavenly realms with our Lord God. And "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We will behold God’s glory and enjoy our fellowship with Him and His saints forever.
Today’s future must prepare us for tribulations. But let us not shrink back for we are also assured of God's grace. Paul charges us to “continue in the faith” for he knew that God is the One who will sustain us throughout our journey. May it be our encouragement that every step we take brings us nearer to our ultimate future- our future glory with Christ our Lord.
