Articles
This, Too, Shall Pass
There is a story that was once told by Abraham Lincoln whose origins are disputed, but widely told in one form or another. Lincoln told it this way to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society on September 30, 1859: “An eastern monarch once charged his men to invent a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They presented him the words ‘And this, too, shall pass away’. How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride!—how consoling in the depth of affliction!” [Roy P. Basler, The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln.]
The phrase and similar stories have been attributed to nineteenth-century Jewish literature, but goes back further in a similar form in thirteenth-century Persian folklore. Regardless of its origin, the point is made and the timelessness of the phrase stands. Lincoln was right in noting it is appropriate to humble us in our moments of pride, and a comfort in times of affliction. We would all do well to remember that nothing in this earthly life is permanent. Let’s take a few minutes to note this truth as it applies to both the bad and the good of life.
The Bad. The last year or so has been stressful for a good portion of the world, mostly due to the coronavirus and the consequent responses by governments, citizens, and businesses. The virus itself has been the cause for much distress, with many of us having family members and friends and coworkers infected and suffering physically because of its effects, and many losing loved ones because of it. The appearance of the virus has changed much about how we interact in public places [or if we interact], and good hygienic practices are stressed more than ever.
The responses to the virus outbreak have also affected many people negatively. Government-mandated shutdowns have caused businesses to close not temporarily, but permanently; jobs have been lost and, as a result, wages lost, and then comes the downhill effect of not being able to pay rent or a mortgage or buy groceries or pay bills, which has put many families only deeper in debt and caused even more stress.
Add to this the recent winter storm that affected much of the country, and stress is at an all-time high for some people. Many have been without power here in Texas for most the past week, and many more are without clean water. Grocery stores in the area lost power and everything refrigerated was ruined and could not be sold, but had to be disposed, creating shortages of some basic necessities like milk and eggs; other food items that need refrigeration were lost due to warehouses losing power, adding to the shortage in the food pipeline. Did I mention that many people are stressed?
This, too, shall, pass.
This is not said with indifference to the plight of those who have suffered and are truly suffering even now; this is said as a reminder that we’ve been through tough times before and it is possible to make it through another stretch of difficulties, too.
But more importantly, we should be concerned about the spiritual low points and their effect on us. It could be that you are a little disillusioned with the church where you are; maybe you are not getting the spiritual nourishment you need; maybe you are facing trials because of your faith; maybe the setbacks and trials of everyday life have caused you to doubt God’s care for you; maybe it is just the accumulation of many things that has worn you down and you feel like life has no meaning. It is in these low points that those of the world really have nowhere to turn, but not so with the people of God — believers.
Christians would do well to remember that even the bad times are merely temporary. As I say this, it should be noted that ‘temporary’ may be your entire lifetime; for some of the Israelites who were taken away into captivity, they would spend a good portion of their lives, or even all their lives, in captivity. For some of the early disciples, Jesus warned that some would face death because of their faith, and some already had died because of their faith in Him (Rev. 2:10-13). But Jesus also exhorted those who would be His disciples, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11, 12).
But the apostle Paul also pointed to the temporary nature of earthly trials when he noted, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 4:17, 18). This “light affliction” of which Paul wrote included him being “in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Cor. 11:23-27). Christians can look beyond the temporary ills and trials of this life because we look forward to something better, promised to us by the God who cannot lie (Titus 1:1, 2).
The Good. Christians know well that the good things of this life are also, at best, temporary. Jesus noted that “moth and rust destroy and…thieves break in and steal” the material possessions of this life (Matt. 6:19). And if some material thing should even last throughout this earth’s existence, it will be destroyed along with the earth and all material things in the end (cf. 2 Pet. 3:10-12). While life may be ‘good’ and we might enjoy material wealth and riches, it is only temporary, too, and we would do wise to heed the instruction Paul gave to Timothy when he wrote, “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17).
We also know life is temporary. The psalmist reminds us, “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away,” and then admonishes us, “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psa. 90:10, 12). James echoed this point when he wrote, “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (Jas. 4:17).
So, before we get all comfortable with an abundance of material possessions, a big, comfortable house in which to display them, and a big fence or wall to protect us from harm, we would do well to remember that this life is not all about accumulating possessions that are only temporary, but all about whether or not wee obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is when we get ‘comfortable’ we should be most alert (cf. Luke 12:16-21). We could literally own the world, and it would mean nothing if we are not saved (cf. Matt. 16:26).
Whether times are bad, or whether times are good, this, too, shall pass. But remember this: Eternity is forever. — Steven Harper
