My 80 Years in Heaven

For those of us who believe in Jesus, His promise is clear: the eternal joy of Heaven.

The average person lives about 80 years on Earth. We begin as children, stumble through teenage heartbreak, laugh with friends, chase our dreams, build careers, find love, and raise little versions of ourselves. Then, in what feels like a moment, we watch them repeat the same cycle.

And it is during these 80 years that we cry out words like:

“I am ugly. I have cancer. I can’t walk like others. My father abandoned me. I lost my best friend. I hate you.”

We fling these words, wrapped in pain and disappointment, toward Heaven. We tell ourselves that if God cared, this would not be happening. We even attempt to hold Scripture as a candle during these dark times, uttering verses like Philippians 4:7, which tells us about a peace that surpasses understanding, a peace God provides to His people.

We become even more defiant when that peace isn’t offered instantly.

And in the midst of our shouting, He whispers back: “Eighty years.”

The God of Joseph

Think of Joseph from the Bible. A good man, betrayed by his own brothers, sold into slavery, and later falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. Did he have the teachings of Christ to hold on to like we do? Yet we’re told: “God was with Joseph” [Genesis 39:2].

Imagine the thoughts Joseph must have had in his lowest moments:

“Why me, Lord? Why did You give me that dream? I miss my father. I miss my colorful coat. Has the baker forgotten me? Where is the God of my ancestors?”

Yet, despite his suffering, God was not absent. He was working quietly, persistently, and purposefully. Joseph remained in prison for two additional years before a path to freedom finally opened. But why did it have to take so long?

Because God was still refining him. The skills Joseph learned in slavery and prison would later become the tools he used to govern Egypt as its Prime Minister. From suffering to salvation, from prisoner to prime minister, God was writing a greater story. But even after Joseph’s redemption, the story gets more complex. His rise to power ensured his family’s survival during a devastating famine. A beautiful ending, right? Well, wait until what happens next:

Had Joseph not gone to Egypt, the entire Abrahamic line might’ve perished. Yet by going there, his family’s future generations ended up enslaved for 430 years.

Again I ask: “Why, God?”

Even though we know how the Exodus story ends, the Book of Genesis reveals that God intended to delay His promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:16. The land flowing with milk and honey was not yet ready. Sometimes the best gifts take time and often, that time feels unbearable. But God never broke a single promise.

We Are the Nameless Hebrews

We often personalize the Bible because we see ourselves as the main characters. And we are disappointed when nothing happens. Maybe we won’t be like Joseph, who rose from slavery to power. Maybe we aren’t the basket-baby who survived the Nile to become the great leader we know as Moses. Maybe you and I are like the countless nameless Hebrew slaves, born into slavery, lived as slaves, and died before Moses ever came to save them. But God loves us all equally. We are not nameless to Him.

“I have called you by name; you are Mine.” [Isaiah 43:1]

God’s magnificence is not limited to earthly victories. His glory is not merely understood or celebrated in a simple parting of a sea, or a large compass of fire, or a sweet treat from the sky. His glory is revealed in something far more exquisite. Eternity. He even promised: “In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” [John 16:33]

My 80 Years in Heaven

When 80 years in Heaven have passed, I have a feeling I won’t remember my earthly pain. I’ll walk streets of gold with my loved ones. And among the millions of Christians, I just need to look only once and I’ll see the One whose hands bear the scars of my forgotten past. Amidst the crowd of countless believers, I’ll recognize my Jesus. He stops whatever He is doing and looks at me longingly. He smiles. I smile back. He knows my name.

“I am ugly. I have cancer. I can’t walk like others. My father abandoned me. I lost my best friend. I hate you.”

But God answers to the people who hurled these words at Him: “You are made in my image [Genesis 1:26], for I knit you together in your mother’s womb [Psalm 139:13]. There is no sickness here because, by My Son’s wounds, you are healed [Isaiah 53:5]. Behold, I give you a new body; you will leap like a deer [Isaiah 35:6]. I am the perfect Father. [Matthew 5:48]. You will see your loved ones again [1 Thessalonians 4:13–14]. And I love you… [John 3:16]”

In Heaven, God no longer whispers! He speaks loudly, powerfully, and overwhelmingly. His voice demands attention, and I imagine that even the angels stop their singing just to hear Him. From the breath of His mouth, He answers every question, mending hearts as only He can.

I have a feeling it won’t take 80 years to realize that Heaven is infinitely better than Earth. Until then, I will remind myself of this:

“What are 80 small years compared to God’s eternity? Just a blink of an eye.”

Go ahead and blink. That’s all 80 years will seem like in Heaven.

Jesus Loves You!

A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. [2 Peter 3:8-9]