When life gets hard, it is easy to forget that we are only passing through this world.  There are moments when the pain seems unbearable, the losses too big to live with, and the discouragement too weighing too heavy on our hearts. We long for safety and peace, often wrongly assuming predictability and comfort are equal to happiness and a fulfilled life.

I remember the words of a friend trying to comfort me in my anguish when the unthinkable happened and marked my life with loss and grief. She said, “This will pass too”. 

Her words didn’t bring immediate emotional relief, but I acknowledged the truth in them. She was right: not only our joyful moments in this world are fleeting and temporary, but so is also our suffering. We need often to recall that we are only passing through, being strangers and sojourners in this world.

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Only Passing Through – the Right Perspective

If we live in the light of the truth that we are only passing through, this will bring a shift in our perspective and priorities. Remembering the brevity of life on earth will help us cultivate gratefulness for every single day of our lives.

With grateful hearts, we can learn to enjoy and fully experience every moment – the happy and the sad ones, because both are temporary and quickly pass by. Even if some things hang with us for years, this is nothing on the backdrop of eternity. And eternity is what matters. Our life here is preparation for eternity – it is a training of righteousness, godliness, and love.

“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul.” (1 Peter 2:11 NIV)

Our life here is preparation for eternity – it is a training of righteousness, godliness, and love. #encouragement #ChristianLiving #eternity #Biblestudy Share on X

How to Live for Eternity

Living for eternity means focusing on what matters most: on the things that matter for eternity. Things look different from an eternal perspective. It makes it much easier for us to forgive, overlook grievances, and give love. The eternity mindset enlarges our hearts and makes us generous with our time and resources.

Making our fellowship with the Lord and His kingdom our priority is the guiding principle of a life for eternity. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Living for eternity as ones who are only passing through means also living on a purpose.  It is so easy to get distracted and entangled in different things, but we need to stay focused on our unique missions and callings.

Do you wonder how to live for eternity? Find out in this article. #eternity #encouragement #purpose Share on X

Embracing the Unpredictable

As strangers only passing through, we learn to embrace the unpredictable, adventurous life of faith. Every day following God brings surprises, but we can rest in the fact that what is a surprise to us, is not a surprise to God.

On the contrary, as our Shepherd and good Guide, He knows exactly what we pass through and what the future holds. Our part is to trust and follow, growing every day in a deeper relationship with Him and making ourselves available for His plans.

And one day we will arrive and will be no longer strangers. God promises a grand finale and a glorious future for all who love Him. “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29 NIV)

As strangers only passing through, we learn to embrace the unpredictable, adventurous life of faith. #encouragement #faith #COMPELTraining Share on X

Living for Eternity after Life-Altering Loss

Experiencing this life-altering loss pushed me to live from the perspective of eternity. Read my story about how I found life again in Jennifer Wier’s Homeward Bound Series.

More Resources to Help You Live for Eternity

If you need additional resources to help you live for eternity by cultivating friendship and intimacy with God, I can highly recommend these books.

Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu

Kissing Guilt Goodbye by Enliven Devotionals

Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Letters to the Church by Francis Chan

Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow by David Jeremiah

Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig

Faith Talk: Christian Women & The Gospel  by Heather Hart and contributing authors

This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!

Your Turn

How does the truth that we are only passing by help you navigate your daily life? Come and share your experience in the comments. If this article has encouraged you, please share it on social media. Thanks!

Do you struggle to embrace the unpredictable? Learn here how to shift your perspective. #devotion #encouragement #ChristianLiving Share on X

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