Present Pain, Future Gain

People of faith...great faith, were those who continued serving God even though they couldn't see the bigger picture. For example, Noah couldn't understand the ultimate results of the great flood and Esther couldn't grasp the longer-term implications of saving her people when she did. Joseph, while sitting innocently in jail, couldn't know the future importance of his role in Egypt and Saul never realized that his unfaithfulness would ultimately cost him the throne. The list goes on to include Joseph, Mary's husband, who couldn't know the true significance of his marriage and the Apostles who, during Jesus' ministry, never quite understood the impact their initial decision to follow Jesus would have on the world.

This lack of knowing is still a major component in a person's faith today. God still seeks those who can be faithful now in order to accomplish His will in the future. People who cannot see or understand what God will do but are willing to be faithful nevertheless in their present difficult situations.

Remaining faithful in a difficult marriage, overcoming a constant temptation, or continuing to serve the church in a mundane task may seem like small or unfair things, even difficult now, but we don't know how God will use these in the future.

Imagine how happy Abraham, David, Mary, and all the Christian martyrs will be to meet us, the fruit of their faithfulness and perseverance? And imagine how happy and relieved we will be to find out how God has used what we've done in His service? How relieved to know that because we didn't quit and remained faithful, God has glorified Himself and blessed us in the future.

When tempted to give up, remember that the past shows us that God's reward is always sure, even if it will only be revealed in the future.