When you know the end of the story it can change your experience as you live through the middle of the story. Let me provide a small analogy from the world of baseball. 

I cheer for the Toronto Blue Jays, but I don’t watch all the games. They play most days, and a lot of games go over three hours. I watch some live, but not all.

So here’s what I do. I record them. Then I watch a few of them after the fact.

Now, let’s say I come home after a long day and want to relax before bed by watching a game. Here’s my confession. Since the game is already done, I’ll check the score. If they lost, I won’t watch it, but if they won, I will! 

It totally changes your experience while watching the game. If they’re down by three runs in the sixth inning, am I going to be stressed out? Of course not. Why? Because I know they’re going to make a comeback! I’ve seen the final score! 

Let me make the connection obvious. As the people of God, we know how the story plays out in the end. And we’ve seen the final score—we win!

Revelation 21:4 gives us a glimpse into what awaits the people of God: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” In the words of Daniel 12:2 and John 3:16, we will inherit everlasting life!

This isn’t meant to downplay or dismiss your current problems. It’s simply meant to lift your eyes yet again to our horizon of hope. 

Though they are twists, turns, valleys and hardships, we know where everything is headed. We’ve turned on the ball game and know that the final score is going to be good for the people of God, including you, even though you might be struggling through the sixth inning.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

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Notes:

-“And you shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.” Click here. Sermon.
-Bible quotes are from the ESV.