I’ve often wondered how many of my difficult moments might have been avoided if I had only sought God’s leadership sooner. Some of our trials exist simply because we are not yet safely home in heaven. Life on this side of salvation will always contain consequences we wish we didn’t need to endure.

Thankfully, most of our trials lead us to a greater dependency on, and knowledge of, our great and powerful God. We are promised trials in this life, but God’s word also assures us of God’s help for those trials. 

The book of Revelation is fascinating and the only book of the Bible that promises to bless the one who reads it (Revelation 1:3). John wrote the book to Christians who were experiencing great adversity from the Roman government and culture. Many, like Paul, would be executed for their faith.

Jesus met John on the Island of Patmos and told him to “write down” what he heard. John’s words in Revelation were the words of Christ to God’s people of every generation. 

John wrote, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested. Be faithful unto death.” How could the reader be “blessed” by those words?

The answer is in the rest of the verse when Jesus promised, “I will give you the crown of life.” God’s blessings accompany trials because our steadfast faith in those trials will open the floodgates of blessing and reward to our lives. When we arrive in heaven, many of our greatest rewards will come from our most difficult times on earth.

Living with wisdom is a path to God’s blessings. Wisdom is living with a consistent heavenly perspective. This life is just the journey, not the destination. Living with wisdom is living with the knowledge that while the path to God’s blessings will have trials, our journey has a final destination. We who are saved are guaranteed a journey that will be difficult at times, but our destination promises a face-to-face meeting with Jesus and the unimaginable rewards of heaven, beginning with our crown of life.