More Than This Life

Life's challenges have often caused me to wonder if all I have is this present life, and if my belief in God is ultimately delusion and a lie, then all the hardship and sacrifice for Christ's sake, would have been for nothing. Verse 20 of 1 Corinthians 15 says "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept." and for this reason I have hope to not give in to the temptations that this life presents as a way of escape from my challenges.

I have often been tempted to give up on my beliefs, especially when met face to face with strong arguments and life's negative circumstances. "Where is God when you need him!", "If your God was real, your life would have been better!"

But each time I look at how the world lives, I really don't see anything better. Many persons who have either given up on God or do not believe in God have crumbled under the weight of their challenges. Some have turned to living a bitter life while others have taken their own life as a way of escape.

I've been unemployed for over two years and in spite of that, I have seen how God has supported me. I have received provisions in different ways. I have acquired new skills that I would not have had if I had a job, and these have allowed me to acquire part-time jobs which have helped with my emergency, and while not fully solving my unemployment, it has been enough, and for that I am grateful.

There is a part of the song "Livin'" by the Clark Sisters that appeals to me a lot. Where it says "Everyday I'm livin', livin' in the overflow." Because I know who is in control, no matter what my life situation is, I am able to live by faith. Understanding that my life is a journey, I see that my present situation is a process and not the conclusion.

I see how God has blessed me in the past and present, so I look towards the future, when I will experience the "overflow."

This is not me living in denial but me understanding the big picture, and even though I may not know everything, I trust the One who does. It is like when I am running a half-marathon and during my run, I can feel the pain and temptation to stop running, but because I understand that the finish line will bring a greater joy, I continue running with a different mindset.

Because my life is in God's hands, I can speak to my mountains and they will move, and I can speak to my dreams so that they will come true, all in God's time.

So yeah, this song by the Clark Sisters, about living the best life in Christ, is talking about the understanding that my life is a process, so no matter what challenges exist today, I understand that God is still in control and will take me through. This mindset has been very helpful for me, and has helped to improve my quality of life.