It is amazing how Christians still live the whole of this life anticipating something from God in every season. It is usually an answer to a prayer that, on deep introspection, only affects this world. I haven’t tested this hypothesis, but just thinking of the biggest desire in my heart right now, I can tell you that it does not benefit me in eternity, it’s a desire that when fulfilled, will uplift my experience on this earth only.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that though, because abundant life is also a benefit of having Jesus on this side of eternity. But there begins to be a problem when we reduce all of God and His benevolence to the answer of that desire on our hearts. When we judge God by His response to those prayers in our heart.

The thing is, God fulfilled His promise to us already in Jesus. The life we live now and the benevolence and providence of God that we enjoy is a byproduct and extension of the fulfilled promise.

“And this is the promise that He has promised us—eternal life.” – 1 John 2:25

This was the promise right from Eden. That a sinless man will come and die on the cross to reconcile man back to God and in doing that, usher us back to that fullness and likeness of the image we’ve been made in, which affords us eternal life. Even beyond this life.

Every believer has eternal life already. God has fulfilled His promise to us. Everything else we enjoy after this is purely His goodness at work.

It’s important for us to keep this perspective when we’re in seasons of need and waiting. We cannot reduce the person of God to the answer to a prayer. We must first judge Him faithful for fulfilling His promise to us and still giving us room to enjoy abundant life while on this earth.

The challenge for us is to see every need and desire in light of eternity. And the truth is that everything in comparison to eternity will shrink to its original size; negligible. Because very few things will matter when we cross over from this side.

Today, stay and mediate on the truth that God has fulfilled His promise to you. We’re grateful for everything else we enjoy post that promise, but the one promise that changes everything, both in this life and the next has been fulfilled in Jesus! Hallelujah!