What do we look forward to? Every day that I wake up I anticipate something good that is going to happen that day. Despite all of the bad stories on the news daily, I still expect something good to take place.

Apostle Paul writes in 2nd Corinthians 4:7-8 that we have a treasure in clay jars. The treasure that we have within is extraordinary power, which comes from God and not from us.

We may experience down seasons, but we are not out. Paul writes that we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 

This is encouragement for someone today. We can go through seasons in which life knocks us down, but it isn’t the end for us. Trouble doesn’t last always. 

If you are in a down season, do not lose heart. Our flesh and earthly body are dying every day, but our inner nature is growing day by day. What is our inner nature? This is our spirit, the essence of who we are. In the truest form, it is the spirit of God within. Every day that we wake up, we are one step closer to spending an eternity with Jesus. 

I can remember previous generations saying that when you are with Jesus, every day is sweeter than the day before. This is true because Paul reminds us in 2nd Corinthians 4:17-18 that this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

So, I want to encourage someone today and let someone know that the best is yet to come! We haven’t seen the best of God’s power yet. And this is quite a statement because every day I speak of God’s power raising Jesus from the dead.

There is more to come; the resurrection was only the beginning. It was the start of salvation and the start for the church. The best hasn’t happened yet. One key word to remember is “yet.” Yet reminds us that something hasn’t happened, but it is on the way.

When we start speaking yet in our own lives, it will encourage us to keep going. Hang on in there until your “yet” happens. First Corinthians 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ears have heard, no heart has conceived what God has prepared for those that love him.”

The best is yet to come!

REV. MATTHEW SHANNON is pastor of Beulah AME Church in Farmville. His email address is pastormatthew.shannon@gmail.com.