What is it that you strive for? While there could be an endless amount of answers to this question, there is something greater at hand. You see, when asking Christians what this question means to them “as a Christian”, they will often say, “heaven” or the likes of obtaining a place beyond this earth. To “finish the race” and see God face to face.
Now, I find this to be a great answer, but once again, there is something greater that I am looking for. They will explain that they are looking forward to seeing God, and for there to be no more pain, agony, and sin.
Once again this is great, but more is still missing. Let me just get to my point. Christians often strive for heaven, but the reality is; heaven is within you. Yes, there is a heaven (a physical and perfect place where God dwells and rules), but we often become so focused upon the physical things, that we completely miss what heaven is.
If I were to tell you that heaven is like having a mansion that holds everything you could ever want in it. Each person gets their own mansion. Maybe it has a pool, game room, a water slide, giant flat screen TV’s and all the food you could ever want. I bet that sounds pretty good! But what if I told you that heaven is nothing more than reflecting in God’s beautiful presence for the rest of eternity--nothing more--would you be as excited? You see, there is something wrong when we look at heaven and say that we’re excited about what we’re going to get out of living and fulfilling my duties as a Christian. It honestly just sounds like an extended retirement if you ask me, and I can confidently tell you that that is not a heart centered on Christ. The truth is, you should feel more excited about heaven being a place where you get to simply rest in the presence of God, because that is the most joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, you will ever feel! That is what we get to look forward to.
As Christians we are not of this earth because we have become new, and have taken on the image of Christ as we get rid of our old nature. We become completely one with Christ as the Holy Spirit daily reveals his life to us! That is life, and that is heaven on earth. To have Christ in you is heaven. And when we die, we will get to see that fully completed back to how God originally intended. It will be beautiful.
To rap this up simply. If our end goal is heaven, and we’re looking forward to what we get out of this life on earth, we don’t truly have life. You just don’t. You have missed what it means to be a Christian. Our only concern and strive is to have Christ in us, and for our old self to become new in Christ daily!