Session 8

Hope Is Eternal

From Hope Is

Ever heard the phrase, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”?

Some days that’s easier to remember than others. When one child has a meltdown in the grocery store over a pack of candy, it’s a lot easier to keep your cool than when two are crying and flailing uncontrollably. When your boss hands you one urgent task, it’s easier to stay calm than when you’re hit with three work emergencies at once.

For followers of Jesus, it is possible to take comfort in the midst of anxiety. In John 14:1–3, we’re told that what we experience on earth is not the end. Jesus is coming back for us, and the hurt we experience in this life will feel like a vapor compared to the joy and peace we experience in eternity with Him. The hope we have in Jesus extends far beyond the relational heartbreak, financial stress, and overwhelming jobs we experience every day.

When Jesus comes back, our hope will be complete and fulfilled. We don’t have to live in fear because Jesus already died on the cross, rose from the dead, and conquered fear. The peace we’ll experience in eternity with Jesus is going to be so much greater than the worries we experience today. Thinking about His eternal hope doesn’t change our circumstances, but it does change our perspective of what’s happening here and now.

Pray:

Jesus, thank you for offering hope for a life that lasts beyond the worries of this life. Help me to remember Your eternal hope when I start to become overwhelmed by worry.

Reflect:

What is the “small stuff” in your life that keeps you focused on stress and worry of today? How does Jesus’ promise to come back change your perspective on the stresses in your life?