A Norvell Note for April 19, 2021
Vol. 23 No. 15
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18, New International Version)
Sometimes the light and momentary troubles seem bigger than light and not so fleeting moments. Sometimes I lose sight of the fact that these light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
Sometimes, even when I try to fix our eyes on what is unseen, seeing the unseen is difficult. Sometimes, even when I am trying to do otherwise, the visible things obstruct my vision for the unseen.
Do you ever struggle with keeping your focus on what is eternal?
When I realize that I am drifting or have drifted, I have found these shifts help me refocus and regroup into a different way of thinking.
I have to understand and accept that I am in that space. I can pretend I am someplace else; I can deny that I am in that frame of mine, and I can ignore what is going on in my head. But, until I am willing to acknowledge where I am and how I am thinking, nothing will change. “Okay, Tom. You need to wake to where you are. Do you want to stay here, or do you want to move to a better way of thinking?” The answer is always yes, but the process is not as simple as admitting it.
I have to focus my thinking intentionally. I have never suddenly snapped out of it. I have never realized that I am in a different state of mind.
Intentionally avoid focusing on temporary things. That may mean that I listen to a different kind of music. That may mean that I change my viewing habits. That may mean I spend time with other people. That almost always means I spend more time journaling, meditating, and calming my soul. The keyword in this is intentional.
Spend time regularly in the Word. Sometimes not being regularly in the Word is a part of the drifting process. I’m not suggesting hours of Bible Study and prayer (though that might be necessary) but simply finding a reading plan that feels right and reestablishes the habit of reading just the Word. John’s Gospel is one that I revert to frequently. Reading and reflecting on a few verses every day helps me remember, “this world is not my home, I’m just a’passin’ through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.”[1] (I can’t believe I just quoted that song.)
Get away from the noise of this life. For me, sitting near the ocean is the best option. When that is not possible, as it hasn’t been for quite a while, I have to find a quiet, comfortable place to walk, or sit, and listen to the sounds of nature and breathe. Quieting the noise needs to be a regular practice. When I fail to do this, my soul suffers.
The Message states it:
These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18, The Message)
“Here today, gone tomorrow.” That describes our possessions, our problems, and life in general. That puts it all into perspective. That is the truth, and that is what I believe. I need to remember it, and I need to live as I think.
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[1] Arrangement copyright © 1937 in Radio Favorites. Renewal 1965 by Albert E. Brumley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Admin. by ClearBox Rights, LLC.