As I walk into the gym I glance at the guys walking out showered, neatly dressed, hair combed. These guys look and smell so good as they walk out with a bounce in their step. Then I wish I were them. I wish I was already done like them. Done exercising and done sweating and taking on the new day in my nice-smelling suit.

But no, my whole exercise session is still before me like a mountain which I have to climb. But I don’t look at it like that, because if I had to look at that high mountain before me I would’ve turned around and run to a good sunshine breakfast at the Spur. No, in a way I con myself into picturing myself walking out in an hour’s time, done with exercise and sweat and in my own suit smelling great. And eventually, when I do walk out I feel sorry for the guys who slept late and are only getting to gym then with their exercise mountain still in front of them.

Life is almost like this. Often there’s a mountain in front of us. A crisis mountain that we have to climb. It looks like an impossible mountain. A marriage that has been destroyed; broken relationships; a future at work simply deleted by one letter, one meeting and out you go; the loss of a loved one. And you have to cross that mountain one way or another. Paul knew all about this: 4Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies!

But there’s also method in the madness. You could say that God is working with a plan and that we are not stumbling through life all alone. Because 5The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what lies ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.

Yes, there is a plan. There’s a picture far ahead that we have to keep in mind that can help us get through the hardship and bitterness of life. There will come a time when we’re done exercising and can walk into a new world, done with sweating and dressed in our clean suits.

But there’s some more good news. There is a guarantee: The Holy Spirit. He is the guarantee that this is not just a story. That it is not a theory formulated by some theologian somewhere and that one day we’ll be faced with a big surprise that all the exercising has been unnecessary. Instead, the presence of the Holy Spirit is a sign for us that there is something after this.

But even more. The Holy Spirit is not only a guarantee of life after death – He helps us as well. He helps us to put up our pictures of life hereafter all around us. He helps us to get through our crises. He helps us not to give up and to keep on going forward.

Believe it. Take the Holy Spirit’s hand and picture the life waiting for us hereafter and know that there will come a time when we will be done and will be able to look forward to walking into our new lives. Maybe we should tell it to those guys sleeping late, because soon it may be too late to exercise in order to be ready.

Click here to go to the Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

Reflection

How hard is your hardship?

Do you understand that God helps you to be ready?

How much space do you allow the Holy Spirit in your life?

Prayer

Father, I must confess that life sometimes becomes too much for me. I know that I don’t always allow enough space for the Holy Spirit to take my hand and to exercise with me. Thank you for the message and that I can look forward to a life with You. Amen