Why You Are Not In Heaven… Yet

“David, AFTER he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers…” —Acts 13:36

There was a member in our church who was living in constant pain. He longed for death to take him with the Lord. He would ask me why God wouldn’t just take him to heaven to relieve him from his misery.

Life is often very difficult. The Apostle Paul had a hard life. He wanted “to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (Phil. 1:23). But Paul went to say that “Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful.” God still had something He wanted Paul to do. Likewise, David wasn’t taken to heaven until AFTER he fulfilled God’s will for his life (Acts 13:36).

When Jesus told His disciples He would be soon be departing planet earth, Peter asked, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee now?” (John 13:36-38). Jesus had a job for Peter and the rest of His disciple to carry on in His absence.

God has a reason why you are not in heaven yet. He has a work for you to do that only you can accomplish. “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worth for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Cor. 4:17). Perhaps you are bedridden and wonder why you are still here. There is work to be done for others—if only to love and to pray. Our presence may also be for the purpose of giving others an opportunity to learn love and compassion.

One day, if you are a Christian, you will be with Jesus in heaven. Then you will understand why God had you linger longer on this earth plane than you wished to.