Heaven and Earth

"Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:..."    Matt. 5:12


     Did you ever feel like your life is just a parade of problems that seem to come one after another with no end in sight.   It can seem overwhelming at times.   Kind of like the old saying "hit them while they're down".   But didn't you notice that somewhere in amongst all of that badness, if you can keep your focus on God, He will show you something that makes it all a little easier to bear.   
       I know that I often have difficulty with the concept of rejoicing and being exceedingly glad. I try to be, but I am just not too good at it.  I often get overwhelmed by what is going on around me, and it takes a concerted effort to calm down and move my eyes back to where they should have been in the first place.   On God.  When I can do that, when I can give the worries of the world to Him who can actually handle them, only then I can then feel any relief.  
       In the bible it says that life will be hard.  It also says that if we give our problems to God, we won't need to worry about them.  He will handle them.  He will provide.  I think we would all like to be in a place where everything was happy and nice and good.  And we will be there someday.  That is what makes heaven so cool.  Heaven is the place where all will be right.  We will be with God.  No worries.  No problems.  No sadness. No pain.  
       I learned at a young age that everything has a price.  You must pay your dues no matter what you are involved in.   When you start a new job, you start at the bottom and work your way up.  When you go to school you start in Kindergarden and work your way up.  If you join a fraternity in college you start as a probee and work your way up.  Heaven is a little different in that we can't work our way in... but we have to endure the problems of the world before we can enter Heaven.    If we had no problems in our lives, what would make Heaven seem so enticing....   
       Jesus came to Earth and lived as a man.  He endured the same types of problems that you and I face.  Different people, different times... but still pretty much the same.  But.... eventually he actually had to suffer more than you and I do....  and He did it without complaint.  He kept His eyes on His Father.   He turned to God and said "Your will not mine."   Jesus did the grunt work... He served others... no matter who they were...   He did not grumble and complain, He sucked it up and did what he had to do.... And it was good.
       Dear Lord,  please help me to keep my eyes focused on You.  Please let there be a constant reminder of all that You have done for me.  Don't let that leave the forefront of my mind.   And help me to not complain about the little things.  Let me remember how Jesus lived and died.  And let me be glad for the opportunity to walk in his shadow.  To do Your will, and not my own.  And help me to keep in mind that our reward is not here on earth but in Heaven with You. And let me rejoice.  Thanks much.