The Promise of a Lifetime

God’s Healing for Life’s Losses: How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting

The Promise of a Lifetime

Countdown to God’s Healing: BMH Books will release my fifth book in May. To read a sample section of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses: How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting click here. To pre-order your autographed copy at 30% off, visit here. As we countdown to the release, I’ll be sharing periodic excerpts, such as today’s post: The Promise of a Lifetime.

The Rest of the Story

Jesus promises that one day He will wipe away all pain from every loss. Now that’s the promise you were hoping for! In Revelation 7, Jesus grants the Apostle John a glimpse into the future. The Lamb of God at the center of the universal throne is shepherding God’s people; leading them to springs of living water.

Reaching those healing, life-giving waters, John gives us the promise of a lifetime. “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).

Just in case it seems beyond belief, in Revelation 21, John repeats and expands Jesus’ message of hope. Peering into the new heaven and the new earth, John tells us that God “will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

We’ve all heard it so many times that the impact dissipates. Let the reality hit home—go back to the future.

God is dwelling with you. God reaches down to wipe every tear from your eyes. God’s booming, loving voice reassures you that death, separation, suffering, and grieving are all a thing of the past. “My child,” He sweetly whispers, “no more mourning, or crying, or pain.”

Every mini-casket death-and-separation experience will be swallowed up in victory. Every major-casket death-and-separation experience will be defeated so that you can say with the Apostle Paul, “Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55).

Reading the End of the Story

Paul concludes his discussion of our future hope by encouraging us to stand firm, to be unmovable, and to be fully committed to worship and ministry (1 Corinthians 15:58). But in the midst of life’s losses, how are we supposed to do that?

When life dashes our dreams and seems to kill our hopes, we must remind ourselves that we’ve read the end of the story. We need to listen like we would to Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story.

Many sports fans, if they can’t watch the big game live, tape it. Then they swear all their friends to secrecy. “Don’t you dare spoil it for me! Don’t tell me who won. I want to watch it and enjoy the thrill of the whole game without knowing the end.”

I guess I’m odd. When I can’t watch the big game live, I tape it, but I watch the end first! I’m a major fan of the Chicago Bulls. Back when Michael Jordan was leading them to six NBA titles, I taped one of the championship games between the Bulls and the Phoenix Suns. First, I watched the end. The Bulls won! Then I rewound the tape and watched the entire game. When the Bulls were behind by 17 points, I never panicked. I never threw bricks at the TV.

Normally I would have left the room if they were behind by that much. I would have told my son to call me only if the Bulls tied the game. I couldn’t take watching them struggle. But not this time. I knew the end of the story. So I could handle the ups and downs of the game, knowing the grand result.

Whether or not you agree with my sports-watching philosophy, you can see the benefits we gain from knowing the end of God’s story—the end of our story. We can survive life’s losses and we can even thrive through God’s hope when we remember the end of the story.

We’ve read the end of the story. And we win! God wins! In the end:

Healing triumphs over losses.

Hope triumphs over hurt.

Grace triumphs over works.

Faith triumphs over doubt.

Hope triumphs over despair.

Love triumphs over separation.

Life triumphs over death.

Good triumphs over evil.

God triumphs over the devil.

Join the Conversation

What difference does reading the end of the story make in how you respond to life’s suffering?