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Lisa Lickel
The Joys We Don’t Know
Posted by Luther D. Powell on October 11, 2012
A very interesting question came up during a Bible study with a group of friends a few nights ago. The study involved the Christian perspective of death, and what it means to die as a follower of Christ. Reading from Philippians, Paul was describing how he wouldn’t be ashamed when he would finally come to the throne of God. This brought up the question, when we get to Heaven, will we even be able to feel ashamed? This question led to a broader one: when we get to Heaven, will we experience emotions we can’t experience here on Earth?
The so-called “Joy of The Lord” is rather mysterious to me. I know it when I feel it, I think others do too, but I don’t really know just how to… summon it, so to speak. To channel it, to hold tightly to it when I have it, it’s a difficult task. I am aware of a certain heightened positive outlook on things I get whenever I’m “on fire” for God; when I’m at a spiritual high, when I feel like I’m growing and growing closer, helping someone else grow closer, that sort of thing. But to just ask for it, to wait for it, I rarely just have it.
I believe some people have it a lot more often than I do, for sure. I can see it in people, hear it in their voices. The mystical joy of The Lord is fascinating to me, because contemplating this question from my Bible study, it makes me feel like the joys we know here are only a fraction of the positive emotions Heaven may offer. To recognize a special happiness that I only receive when I feel closest to Jesus tells me that Heaven could be filled to the brim with versions of happy we can’t comprehend with our wittle human bwains.
I don’t know about you, but I can imagine pure ecstasy while sauntering along the cosmos with my Creator. But what I can imagine here on Earth is probably nothing compared to the awareness of joy we’ll get in Heaven. Our imagination here has limits like the rest of the aspects of our Earthly life, but in Paradise, where there are no tears, no sin, no sadness, where goodness reigns eternally, there could be endless joys.
I’m kind of ranting, I know, but just think about it! I treasure every moment of peace, happiness and joy down here because, like any other person, I realize I’m going to die someday. But unlike EVERY human, I must remind myself that there is a better afterlife with my awesome God where all sorrows will be forgotten. Not only that, but we’ll probably gain emotions, senses and passions we never knew existed when we spend time with Jesus.
I’ve been sick and these past few days have been kind of rotten, but thoughts like these bring me peace emotionally, mentally and spiritually. If you ask me, it’s a pretty good sign if just thinking about the joys of Heaven bring you peace while you’re still on Earth. I hope this brings you readers a sort of peace as well. Cheers and God bless!
In Christ,
Luther D. Powell
3 Responses to “The Joys We Don’t Know”
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patches24Yvonne Pat Wright said
Your post raises a question that I have. Most persons say that when persons die they go straight to heaven. That I think is not quite what the Bible says, as I understand that persons die and sleep until Jesus comes and all in Christ will be raised and then taken to heaven.
If as it is believed widely that persons die and go to heaven and are watching over their loved ones here one earth, how can they possibly be happy when they look down and see all the pain and suffering and evil that is occurring in the world. That certainly would not be a joyous place to be.
Rather I think that when this world ends and is totally destroyed those in heaven will have no memories of what happened before as the Bible says in Revelations, God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Luther D. Powell said
That is a good question. I for one can’t say whether or not I believe people will go straight to Heaven when they die, but I will say this much. I believe that once in Heaven, whether we all go together or we go as soon as we die on Earth, we are made new. If we don’t completely forget all the bad things on Earth, then we’ll probably accept it all peacefully, and be glad for the things we learned from such experiences. As for worrying over the loved ones still on Earth, I think it’s difficult for us to understand the eternal goodness Heaven has to offer, because I believe, when we’re in God’s presence, it would be impossible for us to worry about anything else. While we may think we’ll worry for our loved ones while we’re still here, once we’re in Heaven (if we don’t all go together, that is) we may be at total peace with the knowledge of God’s full control over all things. I don’t know if that makes sense, but I thought I’d give you my input.
Mom said
Here’s what I think: We have no clue. We can’t imagine what it will be like. There’s nothing here on earth to compare it to. That’s what I think. Good blog, buddy.