Unachievable Perfection
Yesterday, I was driving through town and found myself becoming frustrated with the drivers around me. People pulled out directly in front of me, somebody ran a stop sign, and another person was going at least 65 miles per hour directly through downtown. Then I began thinking that even if everyone drove the way I wanted them to, I would still find something to complain about while driving through town. It could be the fact that one vehicle's lights are too bright, someone’s truck is too big, or maybe someone just drives a car that is an eye sore.
As I was driving, I began to realize that nothing was ever going to be good enough for me. My possessions and achievements will never satisfy me. Even if I had the best vehicle on the market right now, I would still find something wrong with it. Even if my job paid me what I wanted and I was able to work exactly how I wanted to, I would still be upset about something in my workplace. Even if I lost weight where I wanted to lose it and gained weight where I wanted to gain it, I would still be unsatisfied with the way I look in the mirror every morning.
There is no doubt we live in an imperfect world. It only takes one glance at news headlines to understand this. Our earthly lives are filled with corruption and wrongdoing by ourselves and the people around us.
Mentally, we become drained and burned out and stressed and depressed. Physically, we become sore and hurt and sick. Emotionally, we become sad and angry and jealous. Of course, some of these things we can control but the majority of them are out of our hands. We can strive for perfection all we want, but we will never see anything perfect on this side of eternity.
While I was driving through town criticizing everyone else’s driving, I began to think about heaven and what it would be like. Would there be bad drivers in heaven? Would all of the cars look nice and all their lights be the same brightness? Would gas be cheaper - or even FREE? Would there even be a purpose to driving in heaven?
Now I doubt all of my issues with driving in a small central Georgia town will even be remembered when I get to heaven, but in there here and now, the nuances of driving help to remind me that there will be a new heaven and a new earth where all things will be full of joy and happiness and worship and awe. Whatever may perturb you this week, I hope you’re reminded of the new life that the Lord is preparing for all believers in New Jerusalem.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”
- Revelation 21:1-5
