I imagine that many of us have spent time wondering what things we’d wish for if we were ever granted three wishes from a genie in a bottle. Things like millions of dollars, perfect health, and world peace are among the most popular I’ve heard over the years. I suppose it can be fun sometimes to imagine what life would be like if only it were “better” somehow. On occasion, though, playing this game has made me a little sad because after it’s over, I’m left with the reality of life as it is in the present. 

However, more than anything, this little wishing game has intrigued me. It’s made me wonder if we do such things because of our burdened hearts. Ecclesiastes 3:10-11 says, “I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Allow me to explain where I’m going with this… 

See, God has set eternity in the human heart. Now, on this side of eternity, we will experience ups and downs. Because of sin and brokenness, life isn’t always going to go exactly as we want. Sometimes it’ll be great, and sometimes it’ll be awful. In fact, Ecclesiastes 3:1 states that “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” We will experience life and death, laughing and weeping, holding on and letting go, love and hate, war and peace, and so much more. It’s inevitable!

With this in mind, it’s completely understandable that we make-believe wishes with genies in bottles. We simply desire only the good parts. We want now what we can experience in eternity with the Lord God. God has placed this desire in our hearts. Not everyone realizes this, though. So I’m here to tell you that, although life “under the heavens” isn’t always just as we hoped for, accepting God’s Son, Jesus, as our risen-from-the dead-after-dying-on-the-cross-for-our-sins Savior and living for Him, we can experience the hope of eternal goodness with God! Plus, we can experience our best possible life now, as well! One that is pleasing to God and that He desires for us.

As believers, things do not automatically become perfect for us; ultimately, however, we can experience joy and peace amid all the other stuff because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. In spite of the fact that we may not have all the money we think we need, and although we may not be as vibrantly healthy as we desire, and even though we may not experience a whole lot of harmony in this world, God has a specific plan in place for everyone of us to experience and to put to good use. 

In fact, maybe He keeps us in check financially because we’d end up getting into trouble with too much. Perhaps He wants us to experience the fullness of using our gifts to help others rather than being filled with stuff. Maybe our health keeps us humble. Maybe our health issues become a path to empathy and ministry to those who are hurting. And maybe conflict keeps us looking always to Him for help and mercy and guidance. He then becomes our source of peace.

Finally, I wonder if when broken down to its simplest form, humankind’s greatest sadness comes from our greatest weakness – our mortality. That being said, then might the believer’s greatest joy come from our greatest strength – eternal life with the Lord God. Goodness gracious! What can be better than that!