Sometimes we distrust God because we misconstrue his intentions.
We interpret them subjectively through the lens of our desires, and when he fails to satisfy us, we lose confidence in him.
Jesus And His Disciples
The disciples of Jesus were thrilled when he announced his intention to establish a kingdom on earth.
They assumed he would move to Jerusalem, overthrow the Roman authorities, replace the Jewish religious leaders, and rule the world like an earthly king.
The disciples thought they would be powerful ministers in this new kingdom. But, instead, their dreams of glory died with Jesus on the cross.
The disciples were baffled by this outcome.
They did not understand until after his resurrection that Jesus was executing a different plan that was more elaborate and longer-term than what they envisioned.
The disciples were right about the culmination of this plan.
Jesus will eventually establish a physical kingdom—heaven on earth—in which the disciples have special standing.
But they were wrong about the timing.
God And Us
God designed us to enjoy abundance and prosperity in every aspect of life—physical, spiritual, material, and societal.
We want this to mean he intends to grant us everything our hearts desire while we reside on earth.
However, like the disciples, we are right about God’s intended outcome but wrong about the timing.
We will experience all the abundance and prosperity God intends for us in the next life. But on earth, only a microscopic fraction of that goodness is accessible.
Until we enter heaven, God’s priority is to foster true contentment in us through communion with him, independent of our circumstances.
Delayed Gratification
Why does God make us wait until the next life to fulfill all our desires?
Because the consequences of sin in and around us prevent us from experiencing everything he deems good.
We leave these impediments behind when we enter heaven.
There God will give us more than our hearts currently know to desire, and the world can presently provide.
