Temporary

#117

Friend,

This is temporary.

I don’t know what this is for you. Maybe it’s a health challenge, a relational situation, or a work frustration. No matter what it is it is temporary.

18 months ago, I tore my calf muscle. My life was dominated by my inability to move around freely. The doctor told me, “You will get better. It will heal, and you will be back to normal.” I knew this was true, but in that moment it felt like hobbling would last forever.

Now, I don’t even think about my calf. But maybe I should? Perhaps I should remember that that injury was temporary. It was here and gone.

What you are going through is temporary. In fact, everything (except for one thing) is temporary. It’s a season. Sometimes seasons are days, other times decades, but everything is temporary.

In the strange book of Ecclesiastes we find these words, “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” (1:2) This translation doesn’t quite get at the original Hebrew word that is better described as “a vapor.” It’s here and gone. It’s fog in the morning, here and gone.

Try grasping the fog. You can’t, and even if you could it’s temporary. The fog will lift.

I’d rather the scripture say, “Temporary! Temporary! Utterly temporary! Everything is temporary.”

Unfortunately it works both ways. The wonderful seasons and moments and health are temporary. Those times should lead us to gratitude. The difficult and painful seasons should lead us to hope.

Ultimately, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Love,

Aaron