Have you ever experienced the impact of a car accident, strong turbulence on a plane, or some moment in which you felt as if your life was flashing before your eyes? These moments are sobering and, at times, terrifying. But interestingly enough, though they can feel like forever, they often pass by before we know it.

The pain of trials and heartache can also feel never-ending when we are in the middle of it. However, Peter refers to the various trials we endure in this lifetime to be “short” in the big picture. That’s because his perspective of “time” is relative to our eternal future, a state, by definition, that never comes to an end. This does not discount the pain we go through, but instead it gives us a proper lens through which we can interpret our experiences – to encourage our hearts when we feel as though the pain will last forever. Take heart; trouble won’t last, but Christ will.

What would change in your life if you viewed hardships from an eternal perspective?