Hating This Life or Loving It? Which Is It?

Have you ever hated your life?  There are times that I have. Times when things were going a way that I did not want them to go and yet I had no control over changing them. Times when I found my self in situations that I let myself get into and felt there was no way out.

But did you know that Jesus tells us in John 12:25 Whoever loves his life will lose it. But whoever hates his life in this world, will keep it for eternal life.

What did Jesus mean by that?

 God created the world. He is the giver of life. He is the giver of all good things. All we have that is good in our life came from him.

From the moment a baby is birthed, it was a gift from God. That job we prayed for was a gift from God. The home we purchased was a blessing from him. As Christians, everything we have is from our Creator. Are we not to enjoy them? Are we not to love them?

Really? Are we to hate our lives?

No, I don't believe that is what Jesus meant at all. What he meant was that if our focus is on this life and not on our eternal life, then we will lose it because we aren't considering what is to come.

The fool says in his heart "There is no God."  They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. Psalm 14:1

Have you ever known someone personally that says that God doesn't exist? Maybe they have a reason for believing that. Maybe it is because they were abused as a kid or has had someone raped or murdered in their family. Maybe it is because of all the bad things that go on in the world. Why would a so-called loving God allow this if he indeed exists?

And so they take on the belief that since it does, he cannot be real.

I know someone personally that does not believe in God. He believes in himself. He is self-absorbed. All he can talk about when you are around him is himself. No one else's opinions or lives matter. If by chance you get on a subject about something else, he will quickly navigate the conversation back to himself.  He doesn't have very many friends and even his family doesn't like to be around him. And for good reason.

Sadly his focus is on himself and his own world. And not on where it should be which is his next lie when he leaves this earth.

Why did Jesus say it that way in John 12:25, that we must "hate" our lives here. I don't know. Maybe to get our attention and think about the seriousness of what he is saying.

 But I do know that God wants us to enjoy this life and what he has blessed us with. But he also wants to be in the very center of it so that we acknowledge him in everything we say and do. To love and serve him to the very best of our ability. He wants us to set our affections on things above, not on things of the earth. Colossians 3:2.  because let's face, the things on this earth will eventually pass away.  We will pass away. Where will we be then? We will be with Jesus in heaven or we will be in hell. One or the other. Believing that God does not exist does not make it so, and for those that do believe that, by then it will be too late. The choice is up to us.


January 17, 2019 Promise: Trust me in your times of trouble and I will rescue you and you will give me glory. Psalm 50.15

I am glad you came by today Friend. Stop back tomorrow. God bless!