II Timothy 1:1

II Timothy 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,”

The phrase “according to the promise of life” is really quite striking! In this life it’s so easy to think that God has promised us many things that, in fact, He hasn’t promised at all. God never promised to give us an easy life. He never said that our lives would always go well or that disasters would never happen. He never promised that our spouses would love us, or that our children would turn out well, or that we would have rewarding jobs, or that we would become important and influential people. He never promised riches or fame, or that we would do “great things”. He didn’t say that we would never be disappointed or that we would always understand why everything happens. He never promised that we wouldn’t be hurt, or that we would have supportive friends.

What He did promise was that we would face trials, but God would be with us through them; that all things do work together for good to those who love God; that our troubles and heartaches are blessings that serve to strengthen our faith; and that these periods of testing won’t last forever. He did promise to raise us from the dead so we could live forever with Him, in a perfect world where there is unending joy. He also promised that when this life is over He would reward those who lived well, and judge those who rejected His mercy.

Most importantly, He promised to love us, to be with us, and to never forsake us. He warned us that this life would be hard but urged us to keep on going because there was life and joy waiting for us at the end of the road – a life that He wants to give us not because we earned it, but because it pleases Him to give it to us. A life that we cannot lose because it is based on what Jesus did, not on what we’ve done.

So take heart. Focus on what God has promised, not on what He hasn’t. God always keeps His promises. He is faithful, and He will return to bring us home.