On those really really tough days, I have one question that grounds me:
Is this a temporal problem or an eternal problem?
I take a moment to zoom out real big.
Like “beyond the end of this life” big.
The temporal problems always seem to shrink when I do this.
The work issue isn’t such a big deal, the messy house doesn’t matter, the frustrating process seems silly.
But I’ve also noticed the eternal issues grow larger when I take a step back.
Family prayer isn’t happening? That’s actually something that is important to me, so I want to problem solve and make it happen in a meaningful way.
My kids won’t stop fighting? I know I want to teach my kids kindness, and so I seek for revelation on what they need to feel more love.
“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
Temporal vs. Eternal
It’s so much easier to “look at the things which are seen”.
Obviously!
We see the physical problems around us.
We see what we lack, what we need to solve, and sometimes these physical problems become our sole focus.
It takes more effort to look at the “things which are not seen”.
But in reality, these are the things that matter most.
These are the only things that will actually go with us to the next life.
Our family relationships.
Our testimonies.
Our service.
Our love.
Our habits.
Our desires.
Our knowledge.
Our spiritual gifts.
These are eternal.
Physical problems still exist and still require our attention.
But when I take a moment to step back, my order of priorities always shift.
The things that aren’t seen matter the most.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
