A Blip on the Radar

"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV

I recently was in a meeting at work with some managers at my job and the phrase came up that "this will all be a blip on the radar down the road."  I've been pondering that statement these last few weeks.  "A blip on the radar."  My life doesn't feel like a blip on the radar, there's danger and turbulence everywhere and alarms are going off and we're firing missiles every direction!  I'm paying the consequences of sin from years ago and I can't get away from the reminders of what a mess life got to be.  It's like we all got knocked out of orbit in 2020 and we're spinning out of control trying to regain ourselves and who we were pre-COVID era.  Was COVID just a blip on the radar?  I think we got blown to smithereens! 

Right now it all still feels so heavy, tragedy after tragedy.  God knows that.  

I love how this verse Paul writes to the Corinthian church encourages them to see the stark contrast of the world and Christ.  It doesn't seem like "light and momentary sufferings" right now what I am facing and what you are facing.  But when we turn our eyes to Jesus and HIS Kingdom of Heaven in light of eternity, this world seems pretty small.

The world remembers who you were five years ago, God sees you as He created you in Him.  Whole and complete.  He has forgiven us and erased the tapes; burned the files; nailed them to the cross.  We remember our shortcomings, but it's never stopped God.  Generations have continued to fail God, but God never fails.  We don't go from tragedy to tragedy, we go from glory to glory.  We are reminded to put more weight on glory than what feels weightier here on earth.  Are your burdens heavy?  His glory is more so, and the glory we will share with him.  

The more I set my heart to walk this tight narrow road, the more Satan accuses me and points me back to my mistakes, and the walls push closer in trying to bury me.  These are the moments where we are weakest that we have to be strong by the Holy Spirit in us and push back, push the walls down.  Don't settle to be buried in the past.  Keep your feet moving.  

"let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..." Hebrews 12:1

What is distracting us?  What do we keep looking at in our rear view?  What are we reading that trips us up?  Who is influencing?

"...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross...Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:2-3

Things can change the trajectory of our lives, things we have NO control over.  But God is in control the whole time.  Easier said and thought than believed and lived out.  Keep enduring and looking at Jesus, look to the cross!

Eternal God, we give you thanks for music,

Blest gift from heaven to all your servants here on earth:

In time of joy a crown, in sorrow consolation;

Companion through our days of tears and mirth.

We give you thanks for every sound of beauty:

For sweetest harmony that echoes in our hearts.

For melodies that soar on high like birds at morning...

For voice and instrument in all their parts.

As we are blest, so may our gifts bless others:

May hearts be touched and spirits lifted up anew.

Let music draw together those who live as strangers

Bring joy to those we love, in thankfulness true.

And when at last we come into your kingdom,

All discord over and all earthly labour done,

Then sound and silence yield before one equal music,

And with the Giver shall our souls be one.