When I say that I want to win the lottery, I have a very specific vision of what that looks like. I'm sure others do as well -- we're often not thinking about the downsides that so often occur in those situations.
Just like when I say that I want to eat lots of brisket, I picture myself enjoying it. I'm often not thinking about the inevitable stomachache that follows from me eating twice as much food as I need to!
When I think about how my life should go as a Christian, I have a picture in my head. I should get all the benefit from living a life filled with peace and comfort, and that will spill over into every area of my life.
But it doesn't always look exactly like we want it to. Through Jesus Christ, God has secured for us an eternal victory, and over the scope of eternity, our life is more 'successful' than we could ever ask or imagine. We will dwell with God in perfect peace and be completely satisfied.
That said, it doesn't necessarily mean that our life on this earth will always look exactly like we want it to. John the Baptist didn't imagine that his faithfulness would lead him to be beheaded. And yet he followed where his path led. We often don't imagine that our path will lead us to challenging spots, and yet we are called to follow where God might lead. I pray none of us end up in the same position as John the Baptist, but even when the worst does occur on this earth, Scripture reminds us that there is an eternal scene that is playing out where joy and love and life are eternally victorious, and in that scope, we will dwell forever.
So may we follow with courage, and dwell in security, even when life proves challenging.
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