It seems to me that one consistent feature of this life is longing. Culture tells us this is a terrible thing, in a world of instant gratification to be denied what we want or even need when we want it is seen as at the very least poor customer service and at worst a denial of our human rights. But despite the stories our society tells us everyone experiences longing, and not just the consumerist itch for more but a deeper more profound sense that this is not all there is. The standard Christian response to this pervasive absence is that its our God shaped hole which, once we have surrendered our life to Jesus will be filled as only he can. And its true, to an extent. But I think that even this understanding of longing buys into our cultural preference for satiation. My experience of living in Christ is that whilst emptiness really is a thing of the past a new hope brings with it a new longing. Not the discontent of our cultural angst but a whole other experience, a sanctified desire for a new future. This longing shouldn't be resented, rejected as lack of faith or even used to accuse God of inadequacy; instead we should embrace this longing and allow it to motivate us to usher in God's future one day at a time.
Longing can then be full of joy and peace even against all the cultural odds as we rest in the certainty of our future hope and the all sufficient love of our God.
