Hindsight...

Like most men, I imagine myself having a pretty high tolerance for discomfort. (This is when the ladies usually roll their eyes.) Actually, I endure pretty well, and most people don't know of the aches and pains I have. However, I'll be the first to admit that I have absolutely no tolerance for any abnormal sensation above my neck. I've suffered from sinus allergies all my life, and while it has been better for a number of years due to immunotherapy, I still regularly feel that old familiar pressure behind my eyes when the weather changes suddenly or when I'm exposed to pollen, mold or dust.

I'm a little obsessive about my sinuses. I pay close attention to the weather report and the pollen index, and any pressure in my head brings out the medication. I use the excuse that my voice is my instrument and my livelihood. That much is true, but the main reason I'm so careful is that I simply can't stand the discomfort of sinus trouble. Despite my efforts, I regularly suffer from sinus trouble and occasionally a full blown sinus infection takes me in its grip.

Most of you know full well what I'm talking about. Intense pressure, closed airways, raw throat, coughing, sneezing, no sleep, and the presence of a strange substance I know should not be there. Time stands still. Every breath is labored. Every swallow is torture. Unending misery. Or so it seems. One day, I wake up and notice that I'm better. The misery evaporates, and it's difficult to remember exactly how it felt to suffer that way. Life begins again and joy returns.

That's how I imagine eternity will be. On this planet are many sufferings. Physical, emotional, even spiritual pain. Separation from loved ones. Ridicule, offense, rejection...loneliness. Time seems to stop, and the pain is magnified. But one day I will wake up and it will all evaporate...

Revelation 21...

¹ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea existed no longer. ² I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband.

³ Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: "Look! God's dwelling is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will exist no longer; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away."

⁵ Then the One seated on the throne said, "Look! I am making everything new."

Almighty God makes this promise to every person who trusts in His Son. The burdens of this world will pass away like a vapor, and we will even have difficulty recalling the pain. But that's not all. The same God who promises a future in the new heaven and new earth promises joy and peace on this earth, too. Even in the midst of pain and sorrow, we can enjoy fulfillment and abundant life. When I invest time in my relationship with Jesus Christ, I receive the blessing of His presence, compassion and peace. I'm prepared for anything that happens to me today, and I know that my future is filled with richness beyond belief.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33