Long-Term View

       When I was in my first year of college for early childhood education I had a professor who used to stress to us all the time the importance of having a long-term view of how we responded to the children in our care. What she was getting at with this was that we shouldn't just react without thinking out the long-term consequences of our reactions, like not giving into tantrums because when you do you teach the child it's appropriate to throw a fit to get what they want, or allowing a certain behavior when they are little that you wouldn't want them doing when they are bigger, just because it's cute now. I was taught in that class to always pause and question myself as to what kind of behavior I was teaching verses what I needed to be teaching to help the child grow into someone who valued themselves and others.
       I think this was a very important skill that she taught, and I think it's one that we as Christians should possess when thinking about our actions here on earth and their long-term effects. It's really easy to look at the here and now, to get frustrated and stuck on certain situations in life, I do it all the time. But when you try to look past your situation and see that in the long-term God is working everything out for your good, it's a bit easier to let go. Not only that though, if you focus your mind on God's Kingdom, and the coming joys of heaven, it makes the sufferings, and heartbreaks of this world easier to bare.
       This is a skill I see in the Apostles when I read the New Testament, and David and Daniel in the Old, and in so many others in Bible, as well as the saints. They have all mastered the skill of looking past now to the future ahead. They saw the things going on around them, things like what we are hearing about in Middle East and other countries right now, and instead of looking at these things in fear, they looked at them with the knowledge that the evil here is only temporary, that God is stronger and will wipe away the impurities in time. David reacted in love to Saul when Saul sought to kill him, because David understood that he was not to kill any anointed by God, he knew in the short term he could do it, and it would 'solve' his problem if did, but long term it would separate him from God and condemn him.
       I used David and Saul for the above example, and I want to continue on with both of them now, both King's were anointed by God and given his blessings, and each at times had long-term views where they valued living a life that honored God, above their own kingdoms and the opinions of man. But each of them also fell victim to the short term view, seeing the here and now, rather than the Lord's Kingdom. David was forgiven by the Lord, and Saul was eventually destroyed by his own hand during a battle, David regained his 'Kingdom mind' or long term view, where Saul succumbed to the short term view of what was presently seen.       
       I know that it's really difficult to keep this kind of view all the time, I know in life it's easy to look at and only see the present, ourselves and the way we feel but I believe if we are focused on the things to come, on the love of the Father, and living life's that reflect Christ, then it is possible to overcome any fear or stress that is found in your present situation. Lift your eyes off of the here and now, and find hope in the Lord to not only endure but to overcome.

Psalm 121:1-2

1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the Lord,

the Maker of heaven and earth.

Ephesians 6:14
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,

2 Timothy 4:5
But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

1 Peter 5:8-10
Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.