Who Are You Hoping to Avoid in Heaven? - The Crosswalk Devotional - November 19
Who Are You Hoping to Avoid in Heaven?
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You.” - Psalm 73:25
Have you ever bumped into someone unexpectedly at a party, a restaurant, or shopping where your heart seems to skip a beat in seeing someone you’ve hoped to avoid for the rest of your life?
Maybe it’s a person who has deeply hurt, betrayed, or done you wrong? If so, are you hoping to avoid them in Heaven, too? Are there Christians who have hurt you in life and you’re just not all that excited or looking forward to living life everlasting with them?
If so, don’t beat yourself up over these feelings for not eagerly anticipating spending every day or forever with them.
It’s easy to feel like there are some who don’t seem very deserving to go to Heaven, but in the grand scheme of life, no one is deserving, including us. Still, from our perspective, in seeing and weighing the actions, behaviors, and attitudes of other believers, it can seem like there are some who are less deserving than others.
Ephesians 2:8 spells it out for us: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
Can We Look the Other Way in Heaven?
Jesus gives us some insight into Heaven, letting us know we will recognize and know one another by name. In Luke 16:23, He gives us a glimpse of interactions there, describing how even an individual far from Heaven was able to recognize someone he saw there.
He told how a rich man recognized a beggar named Lazarus on earth. “In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.”
Recognizing him even in his torment, he looked up and saw Abraham with Lazarus by his side. “So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire’” (Luke 16:24).
This vivid story lets us know we will know others by name and recognize them in our life to come, whether it’s in Heaven or hell.
Coming to Terms with Whom We’ll See in Heaven
Most likely, by the time our feet hit Heaven’s floor, we’ll experience a spiritual transformation where we will be beyond delighted to see everyone, no matter our relationships with them on earth, and to finally live free from sin’s effect on our hearts and minds, free from hurt feelings, wrong attitudes, and resentment.
On earth, sin still seeks to cloud our hearts and minds with unforgiveness, anger, hatred, and more, causing us to struggle at times in coming to terms with the thought of sharing eternity in Heaven, with those whom have hurt us deeply over the course of our lives.
While in this world, we still wrestle at times with the forces that try to cause doubt in our hearts concerning God’s willingness to forgive others further than we may like or think is fair. Ephesians 6:12 explains where this struggle originates. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
God takes wiping away of sins forever seriously, which is beneficial to us as well as to those who have hurt us. Although it may be hard for us to accept, God forgives those who have seriously wounded us when they repent.
Even though we may still struggle with it and remember their deeds, Hebrews 8:12 explains the extent to which God forgives. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Ask God to help you to have Heaven’s mindset here on earth when it comes to all who you’ll be sharing eternal life with. Pray for those who have hurt you and practice what Romans 12:14 encourages us to do: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”
Further Reading:
Will I Recognize My Spouse In Heaven
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Matese Fields
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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