To be honest, I can't get excited about going to heaven. I'm a Christian and I know I'll go there when I die, but I enjoy my life and I don't want to leave it behind. Is it wrong to feel this way? — C.M.
It's not wrong to enjoy the good gifts God gives us; in fact, it would be wrong to ignore them or be ungrateful for them. The writer of Ecclesiastes said, "When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them... this is a gift of God" (Ecclesiastes 5:19).
But the Bible also warns us not to become too attached to this world, because our time here is short and some day we'll leave it all behind. If we live only for this world and its pleasures, our lives will have no lasting meaning, and we will be unprepared for eternity. Don't let this happen to you. Jesus warned, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15).
I also can't help but wonder if you've really understood the wonder and glory of heaven. No matter how full your life is right now, some day you will enter the presence of God. Can you even begin to imagine this? Even life's greatest joys fade into insignificance when compared with the joys of heaven. Paul said, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far" (Philippians 1:23).
Remember, too, that life won't always be this way for you, if you live long enough. Old age brings weakness, sorrow and loss. But it also should bring an even greater yearning for heaven. May that yearning begin in your heart today.
PRIVACY
