In our daily meditations, we are focusing on preparing for eternity and the ultimate goal of our faith: developing a Christ-like character. While we often focus on our earthly reputation, God is more concerned with the inner qualities of our souls. Developing a Christ-like character is an eternal investment, as we will be rewarded based on how much of His nature has been integrated into our lives through our obedience and faith.
Dictionary.com defines the word "character" as "the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of a person or thing." We are transformed day by day in our souls and spirits through every event we experience. Everything in life tests our character, and our reactions to life's inequities reveal it. Reputation is not the same as godly character. Your reputation reflects what others think you are, while our inner character is what God knows we truly are. If we respond in obedience to the Spirit of Christ in every situation we face, we are being shaped into the likeness of Christ. If you have received new life from God and are a true Christian, you are predestined by God to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul writes about these truths:
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:28-29; emphasis added).
God foreknew you and predestined you to be transformed into the image of His Son. It is easy to overlook this passage without reflecting on the implications of what the Holy Spirit seeks to teach us. We cannot hold God responsible for the unfortunate events in our lives; sometimes, these occurrences arise from our choices. God assures us that He will use every situation to bring good into our lives if we are receptive to His teachings and guidance through His Spirit. The wonderful thing is that God has seen the end from the beginning. He had each of us in His heart before He created the world. He foreknew you and predestined you to be shaped and molded into a person like His Son. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). The Message Bible translates that verse in this way, “Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day.” God's work in the world is to prepare you for eternity.
"Character on earth will prove an everlasting possession in the world to come" (J.C. Ryle). If you wish to be esteemed in the sight of God, how are you responding to the challenging circumstances that have come your way? Are you ready to meet your God? How much of Christ's character will you reflect on that day?
What do you want the outcome of your life to be? Consider what Jesus might say to you on that day. He will tell many, "Well done, my good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21). I hope you are a believer and that one day He will speak those words to you, dear reader. If you aim to make your life impactful and leave the world a little better, it's helpful to pause and reflect on the kind of difference you're making. Is that change temporary or eternal? Are you working for short-lived rewards with your skills, time, energy, and money, or for eternal ones? "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal" (Matthew 6:19-20). Help us, Holy Spirit, to live for eternity. Keith Thomas
Taken from the series Insights into Eternity. Click on the study Are You READY for Eternity?
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