My parents live in Asheville, North Carolina, which was recently hit by Hurricane Helene. Thankfully, they are safe, and their home, nestled high in the mountains, escaped the widespread flooding. However, they described significant devastation, with hundreds, if not thousands, of trees uprooted in the surrounding areas. My dad said many areas look like a war zone, a feeling heightened by reports of impassable roads and residents being airlifted out. The images they paint are heartbreaking. While we expect hurricanes, we certainly don't expect them to impact mountain communities hours away from the ocean.
This hurricane is a stark reminder of our vulnerability in a broken world—a world we cannot control or predict, filled with suffering and sorrow. It brings to mind the "Day of the Lord," a day of judgment described in Scripture that will arrive suddenly and unexpectedly, with massive consequences. This is a day talked about in the Old and New Testaments. Prophets predict it, Jesus talked about it, and the apostles also wrote about it.
Yet, it seems we don't talk about this day often as believers. I wonder, do we suppress this truth? Is it too uncomfortable to face the idea that life as we know it can change suddenly and dramatically? Do our concerns for life in the here and now blind us from living with an eternal perspective that recognizes that a Day of the Lord is coming? Is it too hard to think about judgment?
As I read through the Pauline Epistles, I've been struck by how often Paul writes about this "Day of the Lord." His emphasis, focus, confidence and expectation about this day guides the way he instructs Christian's on how to live faithful lives in a broken world. He writes about the day with certainty and expectation, but not with fear or dread. Paul not only believes this day is coming but anticipates it with joy, knowing our Lord will return. He encourages his readers to endure suffering, reminding them that Jesus, who suffered more than we can imagine, overcame sin and death, giving us hope that our suffering will also be overcome when He returns.
As a counselor specializing in anxiety disorders, I often help people whose lives are consumed by the desire to avoid pain. Their anxiety leads to hypervigilance, avoidance, and other counterproductive behaviors. Instead of finding peace and security, they experience constant stress, unable to truly rest or enjoy life. My work involves helping them learn to accept the uncertainties of life and trust that they can cope when challenges arise.
Perhaps we all need a bit of Paul's perspective. He understood suffering, and he also understood that this world is not our home. He fixed his eyes on Christ' promise to return again. This coming Day of the Lord gave him—and can give us—true hope and endurance through the storms of life.
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