Clarence L. Haynes Jr.
Have you ever stopped to think about eternity? Growing up, I would think about eternal life, and after a while, there was a point where it stopped making sense to me. We can understand eternal life conceptually, but our minds cannot fully grasp eternity. For us, everything has a start and end date. While we may not understand eternity to its fullest, we must still have an eternal mindset. This means we must look at things not just as how they are but how they will be. Recognizing there is an eternal destination waiting for you is the foundation for developing an eternal mindset. When you view life through this lens, it will influence how you are currently living.
Here are two ways an eternal mindset influences your life:
1. An eternal mindset sets your priorities.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-20)
Stephen Covey, in “7 Habits of Highly Successful People,” mentioned the habit of beginning with the end in mind. I don’t know if he understood this when he wrote it, but that is an eternal mindset. The more you recognize there is an eternal destination waiting for you, the more you should prioritize what you do today.
When I think of an eternal mindset, I compare it to a person who is saving for retirement. These verses in Matthew 6 lead in this direction. Saving for retirement is simply sending money ahead, so when you get to retirement, you will have something to live on. If you send nothing ahead, you will have nothing when you get there. This is true of eternity as well. When you have an eternal mindset, you don’t just build for this life because it is fleeting and will pass away. You want to send something ahead so that when you get there you can enjoy the rewards of your efforts, which is why you store up treasures in heaven.
What are your top priorities? How do they measure considering time and eternity? Thinking in this fashion helps bring balance to your life, allowing you to take care of the responsibilities of today without losing sight of the realities of tomorrow.
2. An eternal mindset solidifies your purpose.
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
The other thing an eternal mindset can do for you is solidify your purpose, which means helping you focus on why you do the things you do. Let’s face it, life is tough. Jesus promised in this life we would have trouble. I call this the most overlooked promise in Scripture (John 16:33) When life gets difficult, you must remember why you are doing what you do.
· Why are you going through challenges, suffering, and persecution?
· Why are you trying to live holy and be intent on doing God’s will?
You do it because there is an eternity waiting for you on the other side of it. Our hope is not just for this life. In fact, Paul said if we only have hope for this life we should be pitied above all men (1 Cor. 15:19). You have a living hope, that despite the sufferings of this life, one day God will wipe every tear from your eyes. On that day, the greatest pain you experienced in this life won’t even be a drop in the bucket when compared to the glory of God’s presence. If you don’t think this way, then the challenges of life will overwhelm you and can cause you to give up.
