We'll Understand it Better By and By

Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." John 13:9

Our life here on Earth is certainly filled with challenges and struggles. We are tossed on the restless sea of time; some of us seemingly more so than others, but all of us to some extent as we strive to be in the world but not of it. I know I am looking forward to the day when we will understand it better: when God's plan for my life becomes clear to me; when I can look back and see His hand at work in all the unfolding events over time.

Paul reminds us that it will be worth the wait!

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 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. II Corinthians 4:17-18

And there is the hard part for us in fleshly bodies: keeping our eyes on eternal things rather than temporal things. As this hymnwriter reminds us, we don't know the ways that God has chosen to lead us to the Promised Land, but we trust Him to lead us - even though it might be through long and difficult situations. Keeping our eyes on our future home is of paramount importance!

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Romans 8:18

Our suffering here on Earth is not even worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed to us in heaven! That absolutely blows my mind. Think about it with me: whatever you're going through now, as bad as you think it is, the glory that is reserved for you in heaven is SO much greater than the sum of your suffering that you can't even compare them. Praise God for His mercy and grace!

And here's another truth to hang on to: God is using our suffering to sanctify us, to make us more like the image of His Son; to perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us. He has a purpose in our suffering.

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. I Peter 5:10

Even though we don't understand it now, we will understand it later. I can't wait to look back on my life and see God's hand at work, using every situation I'm in to make me more holy and molding me according to His perfect plan.

We'll Understand it Better By and By
Words by Charles Tindley

We are tossed and driv’n on the restless sea of time;
Somber skies and howling tempests oft succeed a bright sunshine;
In that land of perfect day, when the mists have rolled away,
We will understand it better by and by.

Refrain
By and by, when the morning comes,
When the saints of God are gathered home,
We’ll tell the story how we’ve overcome,
For we’ll understand it better by and by.

We are often destitute of the things that life demands,
Want of food and want of shelter, thirsty hills and barren lands;
We are trusting in the Lord, and according to God’s Word,
We will understand it better by and by.

Trials dark on every hand, and we cannot understand
All the ways that God could lead us to that blessed promised land;
But He guides us with His eye, and we’ll follow till we die,
For we’ll understand it better by and by.

Temptations, hidden snares often take us unawares,
And our hearts are made to bleed for a thoughtless word or deed;
And we wonder why the test when we try to do our best,
But we’ll understand it better by and by.