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Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Revelation 1:3 ESV

Up and to the left.

If we were graphing out our life that’s what we would expect. We want our careers, our finances, even our happiness to go up and to the left. As we go on, we expect things to keep getting better and better. But what if It is never as good as it once was?

What then?

How do we respond?

Do we keep trying to convince ourselves it will get better?

Or do we give in to despair? Fortunately, God doesn’t leave us hanging.

Not long after my husband was killed, I was prompted to lead a women’s bible study on the book of Revelation. It seemed like a crazy thing to take on at the time. I was in the early stages of grief, trying to work full-time and dealing with multiple legal issues related to my husband’s death. What seemed like an overwhelming assignment was soon revealed as an overwhelming blessing, perfectly timed, from my Heavenly Father. God knew that in the midst of my journey, I would struggle with the unfairness of what I was going through. It was the second time in my life I was dealing with the murder of a family member and it was the second time, I would face not getting justice here on Earth.

In the midst of unjust circumstances, God blessed me through the study of Revelation. Through His word, I grew in my understanding of who He is. He is Holy and Just, beyond what our minds can even comprehend. Through the study, I was led to a position of true worship. Joy permeated my whole being. As He promises in Revelation 1:3, I was blessed.

So what if it is never as good as it once was? What if my graph doesn’t go up and to the left? Looking at my circumstances, it is possible, maybe even probable, that someone might graph it spiraling down. Perhaps you feel the same. How are things ever going to be better than they were? Sometimes Christians will say, “read the end of the book, we win.” But the truth of the matter is we have already won. The God of all creation, the Alpha and Omega, Our Redeemer, Our Savior, Our Provider, Our Healer, Our “I AM”, lives inside us, each and every day, once we placed our faith in His Son. He will never leave us nor forsake us. And NO ONE can change that. We have already won. And we know that this broken world is temporary. One day our Lord will return and create a new heaven and a new Earth. And that day is near.

Dear sisters, let us not get trapped in looking at our current circumstances and comparing them to what once was, or what we hoped they would be. Let us not strive for what we think they should be. Instead, let us live each day for Him. Worship Him, Our Holy and Just God. Because the time is near.

O Holy Father, we praise You and worship You! Thank You for Your word which tells us the time is near. Help us not get entangled in wishing for once was or could have been. Keep us aligned to Your Will for Your Glory! Amen.