I hope these words will be of some comfort...

If I am right about this both spiritually and theologically speaking, this might just increase your future happiness in heaven. It might also help you understand something about suffering on earth too.

 

First off, we will all be happy for all eternity in heaven. Joyously, incredibly happy. However (and this might sound strange, so hear me out), some of us are going to be happier than others. Let me borrow the illustration used by Therese of Lisieux in her book Diary of a Soul. Her sister set out two glasses. One glass was large and the other one was small. She then filled both of them with water up to the the rims. "Which of them is more full?" she asked.

The answer is neither one is more full. They are both filled to capacity.

 

Some people will have the capacity to be more happy - more joyous in heaven even though we will all be as happy as we can be. Well how do we get bigger glasses in heaven? How do we get a greater capacity for joy? It might tie in to how much we allow the Holy Spirit to stretch us right now... and we become more malleable, more pliable by how much suffering breaks down the fleshly man here on earth. Paul intimated this in Romans 8. "¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope."

 

In this earthly life we endure suffering. A non-Christian suffers and so does a Christian. Some suffer more than others. Some people get meaner and harder from the suffering they endure. But, those who open up to the Holy Spirit are stretched. In order to stretch, they die to self. They are made bigger vessels. Their capacity is stretched so that in heaven they will contain greater happiness. We say He is the potter and we are the clay. This is so true!

Do these thoughts help us come closer to understanding why God allows suffering in our lives? I don't want to suffer. I hate suffering. But, we are PROMISED that our present sufferings prepare us for greater things for all eternity. It will all be revealed to us in heaven. No wonder we so long so much to go home. No wonder all of creation groans

 

 

I once read about a poor woman who had suffered terrible things. She went on a retreat and was met there by a nun who listened to the poor woman's tragic story. After the poor woman finished telling about all of her painful experiences, the nun said, "God must love you very much."

The response of the nun to the poor woman was so absurd.

 

The idea that suffering shows God's love is so hard to understand. The idea that suffering here and now will bring greater joy in heaven...greater joy for all of eternity. Crazy isn't it?

 

My recent post titled "How to be MORE Happy in Heaven" showed that suffering Christians are broken down like clay pots and reshaped to be larger vessels that are able to contain greater happiness in heaven.

In school I had signed up for an art class where we were taught to make pots out of clay. If someone made a pot that was ugly, they would remake it the following day. They would take the dried clay, smash it, grind it up into a powder and mix it with water until they had clay that was pliable again.

 

Suffering breaks us down. Grinds us up. Adding the water (the Holy Spirit) allows us to be made into pliable clay that our Lord (the Potter) can fashion into larger, more beautiful vessels that are able to contain greater rewards...greater happiness in heaven forever and forever.

 

Man was made from clay. We all hate being smashed and ground up. Not one of us enjoys suffering. It is terrible. It goes against our nature. But suffering can have a purpose. It can allow us to be made into greater, more beautiful vessels that are able to contain greater happiness in eternity.

 

I think of Joni Eareckson Tada. What a joyous creature she will be in heaven. A diving accident made her a quadraplegic as a teenager. She has spent her whole life being a servant of God and has shared her testimony with millions. I believe she will know greater joy in heaven than me.

Everytime we suffer now, our capacity for joy grows in heaven for all of eternity provided that we let the Master Potter reshape us into something better. This is how I can make sense out of Romans 8: 28... And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

 

If you have ever suffered you might have asked God what possible goodness could have come from it. I know I have. Sometimes we see something good come from it here on earth and that's wonderful. But sometimes we don't get to see it until we get to heaven. Your capacity for JOY in heaven may be greater than mine even though I will be as happy as I can be once I get to heaven.

 

As we tend to think you might have thought your sufferings are terrible. I certainly have. But we will meet people in heaven that will have suffered far, far worse I have no doubt. Those same people will experience joy in heaven in a greater way than I ever will. I will be happy in heaven. The tortured, persecuted Christian will be even happier.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

 

YBIC

Bruce Baber