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By: Amanda Frittz
Have you ever caught yourself thinking, “am I even going to like heaven?” I know I have. I’ve wondered if it would be boring and if I would even want to spend my eternity there.
After all, I found almost all my entertainment from things I knew weren’t God-honoring. I loved romantic comedies, dating shows, and bought into people on YouTube telling me I needed to buy everything in order to find happiness.
1 John 2:15-17 ESV “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
So how was Heaven going to be fulfilling to me? Honestly, it probably would not have been. I was still stuck on loving so much of this world that I did not have any room leftover to love God.
It was not until I started surrounding myself with God-loving people that I realized you can have just as much (or more) fun doing things God’s way!
They still told jokes and listened to music, but they did it in a way that was not blaspheming God’s kingdom. The music honored God, and the jokes were not unloving or vulgar.
What is Heaven Going to be Like?
I think it is important to realize Jesus did NOT come to abolish God’s law, he came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-20). In other words, God will not and has not changed.
He wants us to walk righteously on earth, and we will be walking righteously in heaven.
Revelation 21:27 ESV “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
Jesus has already cleansed our sin with his blood so we can enter heaven. However, think about that verse… nothing unclean can enter heaven.
Thinking back to the T.V. shows and songs I used to consume I can guarantee they would not be allowed into heaven. No Bachelorette, no “God is a Woman” no “Lost in Japan.”
All the entertainment I consumed would not have been allowed in heaven. So of course, I questioned if heaven was going to be boring.
Revelation 21:4-5 ESV “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”’
Heaven is going to be a beautiful place with no hurt and no sin but if you are still loving your sin and sinful things like I was, that may be a scary thought.
You Can Start Loving Godly Things Now
The easiest way to know you are going to love heaven is if you begin loving kingdom based things now.
Funny enough, love is often built off of our habits and is a subconscious feeling we develop over time. Think about it, does anyone like exercising at first? No. They only start to like it once they have made it a habit. Same thing with cutting out sugar, or almost anything that is good for you.
If you start developing good habits now you will begin enjoying them and will be able to have more peace with what your life in heaven will look like.
As I grew Godly friendships with mature women I began to realize you do not need to gossip, vent, or watch chick flicks to have fun.
I get it, that stuff seems fun at the moment. It is easy to get sucked into, and it can make us feel better about our lives. However, nothing good comes out of bashing your husband or watching a twisted love story.
You are either doing or consuming bad habits and either of those acts normalizes unrighteous behavior and even worse, it can subconsciously make us build attachment to our sin.
God Gives us Grace
It is important to remember that God is graceful through all of this. He calls us to be righteous but he forgives us when we stumble.
Finding Kingdom ways of entertaining yourself is a process. You might slip up and gossip when you’re with your friend. Lord knows I have. That is okay. God will show you grace.
Just remember that practicing righteousness will help prepare our hearts for God and his kingdom. It will soften them, and make them at ease.
After all, it’s not until you practice God’s commandments that you can vouch that they only bring joy.