Happy weekend, everyone!
Thanks for being here to join us for another round of Five Minute Friday!
My challenge to you for this week: In addition to visiting the blog linked up before yours, find a blog you’ve never visited before! I dare you to make a new friend. 🙂
The featured FMF post from last week’s prompt, LIMIT, is by Jeanne Takenaka. Go ahead and click over for an encouraging read! Jeanne had surgery on her ACL this week — will you join us in praying for her during her recovery?
This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is:
[Tweet “Join us as we #write for five minutes on the prompt, FORGET!”]
Confession: This prompt came to me because I nearly forgot about FMF this week! <Gasp!>
Maybe next week I’ll tell you why I’m so preoccupied these days and why this poor blog has been neglected in recent weeks, with the exception of this beautiful link-up community. But for now?
It’s time to write.
GO.
Since January, I’ve been reading through Paul Tripp’s devotional called New Morning Mercies (affiliate link). In a recent entry, he wrote that most of us are “eternity amnesiacs.”
We say we believe in heaven and eternal life with God, but we don’t really live like we believe it.
We live like we’ve forgotten heaven.
In an article on the topic of eternity amnesia, Tripp wrote, “Everyone in ministry gets discouraged by difficulties and struggles, but sometimes we bring more suffering on ourselves because we forget eternity. Could it be that there are times when you live and minister as if there is no such thing as forever?”
Could it be?
I know I’m guilty of forgetting heaven. I get bogged down in the daily grind, the imminent pressures, the visible mess. I feel the days stringing together in pressing discouragement, and forget that these, too, are temporary.
“Have you forgotten who you are, where you now live, and the destination that is yours by grace? … Since God’s grace guarantees your final destination, it also must guarantee you all the grace you need along the way.” ~ Paul Tripp, The Gospel Coalition
Press on toward the prize, friends. This world is not all that we live for, as believers in Jesus — eternity awaits.
STOP.
Join us by linking up your own five minutes of free writing below!Â
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Having gone to Heaven – and returned – this afternoon, I can say this…when we don’t appreciate the ordinary things of our lives, we’re forgetting Heaven, because of exactly these is Heaven made.
How could it be otherwise? How could the small graces and mercies that surround us be only a sop to the temporal, with something ‘grand’ waiting in the wings.
What’s grand is to see the love with which God has shaped those small things that bring us joy, and this is what awaits.
Yep. I forget. Maybe because I’m a little too comfortable here. A little too self-satisfied. Or perhaps too busy doing the ‘Lord’s work’–which is, ironically, to lead others to a forever firendship with Jesus so that they can enjoy heaven…
That sounds like a powerful book, Kate! And “eternity amnesiacs.”? Yeah, I’ve definitely lived as if “Now” is all there is. Thank you so much for the reminder that we are living for eternity, just passing through this place called Earth. I want to bring many others with me to heaven! I can do this best when my eyes are fixed on Jesus, right?
Thank you for the shout-out, and for the prayers. I think I’m heading into the days where there will be more pain.
I totally relate, Kate, not just to almost missing fmfparty but also to losing sight of eternity in light of the everyday mundane and the pressing projects that steal out attention. The Lord’s been quietly whispering to me these same words again and again, “Asheritah, you’re worried and bothered about many things, but only one thing is needed.” You’d think I’d have this lesson done pat, but apparently it’s one I need to re-learn day after day after day. So glad to be fellow journey-ers on this path, sweet friend.
Kate, this was beautiful. Reading Asheritah’s comments resonates so well with my Martha intentions.
I’m trying to please Him so well that I forget it’s not about me or this world or this life. That truly, it’s when I’m focusing on Him that I’m at peace. My soul has quiet and rest. I’m not frantic and stressed.
I gave up my snooze button for Lent. When the alarm goes off, now I don’t go back to sleep. (Though I have dozed off once so far). I try to take that time to pray instead. I need to turn on the light, though. That helps.
When I’m praying for the specific people that challenge me in the day, God handles it so much better than I do. Thank you for all the reminders. And especially the joy. We lose sight of the joy in the day-to-day character building. But there is so much JOY in the now. We are already saved and already living our eternal life. It doesn’t begin when we get to heaven.
Thank you again. You are a blessing to me.
(#3 tonight)
Love,
Tammy
(tammysincerity)
Thanks for this reminder, Kate! It is so easy to get stuck in life and the big worries. But I agree with Andrew, heaven is not just the big trumpet sounds and miracles – it’s the mundane beauties and treasures we so often overlook. God has surely not forgotten about us and left some ‘nuggets’ behind for us to find. 🙂
Confronting and challenging words, Kate. I’ve been blessed this year, by God turning my face heavenward. I often lean toward looking down and drowning, but in His grace He’s moved me toward beholding Him in wonder, to engraving heaven upon my heart. My One Word for this year is “Behold” and the first series I felt called to write on this year, was on Hope (A January of Unwrapping Hope). But I cannot claim to fixing myself on Hope in and of myself. It’s truly been Him guiding me and pressing me into it.
Certainly an interesting concept. As we focus on everyday life, I believe we often forget the prize at the end of it: time with God – forever.
This was my first 5 minute Friday. Thank you!
Your most reminds me of the song, “Live like we are dying”. We need to forget the unimportant and remember the big picture. Have a super, awesome weekend!
Isn’t it funny how easily we forget what really matters in our daily lives. Beautiful post!
Thanks for the inspirations this morning!
Part of the human condition isn’t it Kate? We get so comfortable here on earth and forget that eternity is SO much more! Especially when life is good. If we were truly focused on the heavenly things, so much of the minutia just wouldn’t matter would it? Everything that wasn’t important would take up our thoughts and offenses would be so much easier overlooked. Guilty as charged friend for sure!
Kate, wonderful post which is sure to make me think more this afternoon. I loved the quotes from Paul Tripp. It is always good to join you. Blessings!
I don’t know about you, Kate, but I am waiting with bated breath for the day He calls us Home. Not very patient about it either. 🙂
Lynette
~#89 this wk