Becoming a disciple of Jesus is the single greatest thing that has ever happened to me. I chose to enter this committed relationship approximately 16 years ago and the most significant impact that it has had on my life is the assurance that I will always win.
From a theological perspective this speaks to the certainty of triumph over the greatest enemy of mankind- death. The Bible tells us that every person who has put their faith in Christ becomes a beneficiary of God’s gift which is eternal life (John 3:16, 1 John 5:4, 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-57). This gift doesn’t mean that a believer will not experience harm, discomfort, or even physical death, but it promises us that these adverse situations do not have the final say. It actually reverses the characterization of these things, because of Christ, the things that I previously considered to be adverse can be faced with joy, hope, and expectation. In Christ, darkness always gives way to light, death gives way to life, sorrow gives way to joy, and losses never last.
This eternal perspective significantly impacts my daily life in a number of very practical ways:
- It helps me to reframe the unsavory events of my past—I have found that one of the greatest challenges that this present generation faces is the inability to move past difficult events and disappointments of the past. Because we live in a fallen world, most people have experienced things in their past that they had no control over but they have to deal with the effects of it in the present. The same can be said even about mistakes that people make. I am grateful that my testimony is of how I am able to have a renewed mind about the negative things I have experienced in the past. I don’t live with a victim’s mindset because I am certain that “the things the enemy meant for evil, God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). It is also powerful to have experienced God supernaturally redeem my life and cause me to “forget the shame of my youth” (Isaiah 54:4-5).
- It helps me to change my perspective about present challenges—I cannot imagine passing through hardship without Jesus. It’s so interesting how whenever I experience challenges in the present day, I am able to always process it through the lens of something similar that is written in the Bible. The Holy Spirit helps me whenever difficulty arises, and reminds me of scriptures, stories, lessons, or even songs inspired by the Bible that provide real-time comfort, wisdom, and insight. Because of my unity with Jesus Christ, I know that I am never alone (Hebrews 13:5, Proverbs 18:24) and I can always be instructed and comforted by the Word of God (Romans 15:4, Psalms 119:50).
- It gives me eternal hope for the future—As I stated at the beginning, I can never lose…ever. The life that I have received in Christ always causes me to win! (2 Corinthians 2:14). I can live without worry about the future because I know that Jesus has promised that things will always work out (Romans 8:28). The Gospel narrative is filled with so much hope and joy: Jesus was wrongfully accused, betrayed by a confidant, died a shameful death on a cross, was buried and left in a guarded tomb— even His closest followers deserted Him thinking they had been deceived. Despite the longest odds, Jesus rose—exactly as He promised—and the only evidence that was seen on His resurrected body were the nail-pierced hands. It is the hope that resides in this glorious reality that anchors our faith which fuels my eternal hope for the future. I know that “because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”
This piece is a guest post written by Feyi Bab-Oke, want to connect more with Feyi? Check out his blog: Brightsidewithbabz
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