Developing an Eternal Mindset

Life on earth is temporary, but as believers, our ultimate hope lies in eternity with God.

Having this mindset helps us endure uncertainty and setbacks with greater resilience. God works in all situations, even in the waiting. He brings about clarity, growth, and alignment with His perfect plan. We know there is an Enemy who comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But Jesus has come so that we can have life abundantly (John 10:10).

The apostle Paul understood this reality when he wrote to the church in Rome:

We ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. — Romans 8:23–24 ESV

On this side of Heaven we’ll experience “inward groans” — the deep, internal longings that are sometimes hard to put into words. It’s that profound ache when confronting trauma and pain and the questions we don’t have the answers to. It’s the agony of losing a loved one or seeing a parent endure the horrors of chemotherapy and watching their skin cling to their bones from all the weight loss. It’s the mental pain you endure when you walk up five flights of stairs because you couldn’t afford living in a building with an elevator. And with every step you climb, your confidence slips away because you don’t know where your next paycheck is coming from. It’s the longing for a world free from injustices and human suffering. These inward groans are reflective of a spiritual longing, a longing for the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises.

With an eternal mindset, “we wait eagerly” for final restoration where all things are made new. But there’s not just hope for the future; there’s hope now! The hope of heaven is not just one day; as believers, it’s today! Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He continuously shared that the Kingdom had arrived. He taught us to pray,

Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. — Matthew 6:10 KJV

We don’t have to live our lives waiting until we die to experience wholeness; instead, it’s accessible to us here and now through Christ. We’re not like survivors stranded on earth, waiting for rescue.

• Jesus came to be the answer to our waiting, offering immediate hope even as we anticipate joining Him on the redeemed earth one day.

WAITING, GOD’S WAY

The Bible is filled with stories of waiting and redemption, from Abraham and Sarah waiting for a child to the Israelites waiting to reach the promised land. These stories have encouraged me during seasons of waiting. When we read the stories in the Bible, let’s not forget that they are Bible realities. They are based on real people who lived thousands of years ago, whose life stories God still uses to show us how we are supposed to live our lives. One of the best examples in the Bible of someone waiting God’s way is found in the book of Ruth.

Only two books in the Old Testament receive their names from women: Ruth and Esther. You go, girls! The name Ruth most likely comes from a Moabite/Hebrew word meaning “friendship,” which foreshadows the book’s storyline!1 Although Ruth was not born an Israelite, God used her to greatly influence the nation of Israel. If you aren’t familiar with this story, let me give you a quick lesson.

Due to a famine, Naomi (who was an Israelite); her husband, Elimelech; and their two sons left Bethlehem and relocated to Moab. Over a ten-year period, Naomi’s husband and both sons died, leaving her with her Moabite daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah (Ruth 1:1–5). Hearing that the famine was over, Naomi decided to return to her people in Bethlehem, accepting the fact that she would be alone and probably forgotten for the remainder of her life (1:12–13). While on the road back to Bethlehem, Naomi told her daughters-in-law multiple times to remain in Moab and not come with her (1:11–15). But Ruth refused.

She would not abandon Naomi in such challenging times to fight for herself. She assured her mother-in-law,

Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. — 1:16

Ruth continued with Naomi toward Bethlehem, which was a sixty-to-seventy-five-mile trip and probably took around seven to ten days! While accompanying Naomi back to Bethlehem, Ruth vowed to “pick up the leftover grain behind anyone in whose eyes I find favor” (2:2) to provide for both her and Naomi. Can you imagine having just lost your husband, but you press on to care for your mother-in-law by leaving everyone and everything you know behind and moving to a strange land?

Ruth probably didn’t know a soul in Naomi’s hometown of Bethlehem, but it didn’t stop her. Instead of sitting around waiting for God to bring friends or a new spouse, she got up, went to a bar- ley field, and collected scraps to provide for her and Naomi. While doing so, she caught the attention of a man named Boaz. It wasn’t Ruth’s looks that caught Boaz’s attention. Boaz had been told all about what Ruth had done for her mother-in-law since the death of her husband. How she had left her family and her homeland to come and live with people she did not know (2:11).

To make a long story short, because of Ruth’s character, loyalty, and obedience, Boaz eventually married her. This was significant because Ruth went on to become the great-grandmother of King David (4:17) as well as part of Jesus’ lineage too! All because Ruth was willing to take action, to be obedient, and to get uncomfortable. She refused to sit around while she waited for what was next. At the beginning of the story, Ruth and Naomi were in a tragic state, but at the end both were singing praises. Even the other women in Bethlehem proclaimed that Ruth was better for Naomi than seven sons (4:15).2

BE WILLING AND WORK THROUGH THE WAIT

Ruth’s story teaches us that

• as we’re waiting, God is working.

At the same time, waiting is not an excuse to get comfortable or avoid responsibilities. Ruth is such a great example of working through the waiting. She turned her waiting season into a willing season. Her story has inspired me to be willing through stagnant seasons to keep trusting God to use me where I am with what I’ve got.

Following my Miss Universe year, I found myself in the back of casting lines with the newbies — like I was starting all over again. I couldn’t book opportunities for runway shows, but I was able to get the smaller jobs where lead makeup artists used me as a canvas to demonstrate the makeup look for other backstage artists to replicate. Even though I didn’t get the jobs I hoped for, it gave me an opportunity to bring a little calmness and kindness into a chaotic backstage environment by sharing a tiny glimpse of God’s love through conversation and serving.

To be willing or having a sense of willingness simply means “to be ready, eager, or prepared to do something.”3 A willing person is not opposed to act, rather she strives to work with energy, care, and intentionality. It’s the opposite of being resistant, reluctant, or resentful. Being willing implies a proactive mindset, whether it’s undertaking a task, embracing change, or facing challenges with a positive attitude. Willingness embodies the essence of true faith: moving forward with confidence despite the timeline. Jesus’ life is our most profound example of this.

When Jesus turned water to wine in John 2, He said,

My hour has not yet come. — v. 4 ESV

This phrase is repeated throughout the Gospel of John, referring to Jesus’ future crucifixion and glorification. He knew He had to wait for the Father’s perfect timing to endure the cross and pay the penalty for our sin. He acknowledged His hour would come, but until it did, Jesus was ready, eager, and prepared to show the Father’s love to the world.

1. Brian Rickett, “Ruth,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).
2. Despite the deeply patriarchal culture of Israel and the ancient
   Near East, individuals who embodied God’s values held a more respectful perspective toward women. Boaz, for instance, praised Ruth as “worthy,” acknowledging her equal worth to himself. Had Ruth’s husband lived, he would have followed the conventional path of inheriting his father’s estate and caring for his mother. However, Ruth went above and beyond by leaving her homeland, forsaking her gods, and relocating to a foreign land permanently. The women who compared her to seven sons, symbolizing perfection and blessing, were entirely justified! Ruth serves as a compelling example of a woman navigating a challenging cultural context to fulfill God’s plan, even when others may not recognize God’s work in their midst.
3. Cambridge Dictionary, s.v. “willing,” accessed January 28, 2024, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/willing.

Excerpted with permission from A Crown That Lasts by Demi-Leigh Tebow, copyright Demi-Leigh Tebow.

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Your Turn

Are you in a season of waiting? Are you willing to work through the wait and trust God during this season? He will help you be resilient! ~ Devotionals Daily