I have often reminded Christians that our mindset in life is to be “future first” thinkers. Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to those concerned about the loss of their loved ones: 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 KJV – “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Paul did not say “Because you are going to heaven you should have no sorrow” but rather that because we are going to heaven we sorrow yet with hope. The fact is dear friend, there are some life events that we will never get over but are going to have to get through. We sorrow, and hope. Our hope is that when life happens and hurts us at times, the future for the Christian is heaven.

To remember that “this life is not all there is” is not trite or a quaint saying we exchange when pain and sorrow infringe upon on lives, it is age old truth that sustains us and allows us to get through what we never expected to endure. We must remember to be “future first” in our thinking, we must not allow familiarity to breed contempt of such a magnificent truth.

This life can be brutal and painful, yet filled with hope even in times of sorrow. That will not come and cannot be had through maintaining a positive mental outlook but rather it comes by remembering the fact that there is a new life that awaits us, there is an eternity where death, sickness and sorrow are banished forever.

We must filter all of life’s difficulties through the blessed future that awaits us in heaven. This is what Paul was telling the church concerning those who had died, sorrow is right and real and has it’s place in life in a fallen world, but the hope of heaven is where the mind must begin, to remember this life is not all there is essential.