In heaven there will be no sin. To imagine what this will mean as we fellowship with other believers we can think about the fruit of the Spirit. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Galatians 5:22-23. There will be no more disagreements or hurt feelings or anger or sadness.

We have all likely shown the fruit of the Spirit to others or have been on the receiving end of them. Being shown love without any conditions. Joy based on obeying God’s will and fellowship with other believers. Peaceful thoughts from harmony, unity, contentment, and a lack of fear. Forbearance to show patience when it is required. Kindness to put others at ease and to be a friend. Goodness to be generous to others and selfless. Faithfulness to demonstrate trust and conviction for what is right by being devoted to God, family, and friends. Gentleness to be humble with a compassionate approach toward others’ weaknesses. Self-control to restrain one’s emotions, actions, and desires and to be in harmony with the will of God. Thinking about those experiences and knowing that in heaven this is what will occur all the time is quite wonderful!

In our time on earth we can strive to live out the fruit of the Spirit. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12. On earth, we know that there is still sin, sadness, and pain. Showing God’s love to others can make a big difference.

There once was a contest to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly man whose wife had recently passed away. Upon seeing the man crying, the little boy went into the old man’s yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing, I just helped him cry.”

At times we experience suffering, pain, and sadness. God is always with us and seeks to help us. God can use each of us to share His love and compassion. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 1 Corinthians 1: 3-4. We can look forward to the eternity we will spend in heaven where we will only experience love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Reference:
Stohlmann, M. (2020).  The world's greatest future. Seattle, WA: KDP. 

References
Stohlmann, M. (2020). The world's greatest future. Seattle, WA: KDP. 
Williams, W., & Hughes, J. (1745). “Guide me, o my great Redeemer.”

Fanny Crosby was born in 1820 and had a long life to the age of 94. Crosby was blind from the age of six weeks, but it did not hinder her determination for praising and serving God. She wrote the lyrics to more than 8,000 gospel hymns. She also was a friend of several presidents of the United States.

One of Fanny Crosby’s most famous hymns is, “Blessed Assurance.” The composer of the music for this hymn played the melody to Crosby and asked, “What does the melody say to you?” Crosby replied that the tune said, “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!” and then she proceeded to state what the first stanza of the hymn would be.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
 
Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love
 
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
 
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
 
Death could not hold You, You are victorious
Praise to the risen King
Death could not hold You, You are victorious
Praise to the risen King
 
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior
Wonderful Savior 

​ 
Motivated by God’s love and the blessed assurance of heaven, Fanny Crosby sought to praise God her whole life. She did not view her blindness as a limitation. When she was only nine years old, she wrote a poem about how she viewed her blindness. 

​O what a happy soul am I,
Although I cannot see,
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don’t.
To weep and sigh because I’m blind,
I cannot, and I won’t.

​Crosby’s sought to live out the words of Psalm 145:2. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Though she could not see in her time on earth, she knew that in heaven she would see the very face of God. Being able to live her life with God as her constant companion, source of strength, and guide was a foretaste of the glory of God that Fanny saw in heaven when she died. In our lives we can seek to live like Fanny by keeping our hearts fixed on God’s love. We are blessed to have a wonderful God that cares for us and loves us!

References:
Stohlmann,  M.  (2020).  The world's greatest future. Seattle, WA: KDP.
​Hawn, M. (2014). “History of hymns: ‘Blessed assurance.’” Retrieved from https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-blessed-assurance

​God has promised to be with us for all time. In our time on earth, God provides us strength and help with any difficulties. The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. Psalm 34:19. We also know that faith in God can invigorate us through an inner joy as we approach each day. But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31.
           
In heaven, God is still with us for all time and the joy of knowing Him will provide us with great strength and vigor. Our relationship with God will be different though because in heaven there is no sin. We will see God’s face, live with Him, and worship and serve Him with great passion! Revelation 22:3-5a describes this. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light.

It is an amazing thing that we will see the face of God. In ancient Israel only the high priest could go into the Holy of Holies of the temple; and the high priest could only go in once a year. When he went in, a rope a was tied around his ankle in case he died inside. The Holy of Holies was so sacred that no one else would dare go in. 

In Exodus 33:18-23, Moses says to God, Now show me your glory. God replies that He will cause all His goodness to pass in front of Moses. God goes on, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Exodus 33:20. The wonder of heaven is that we will be freely welcomed into the very presence of God and see Him face-to-face!

Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins so that through God’s grace and forgiveness we can be seen as holy. When Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). Sin renders people unfit to be in the presence of God and see Him face-to-face. Jesus Christ, through His death, removed the barriers between God and us. In our time on earth we can approach God in prayer and worship to receive mercy and grace to help us with any problems.

We can also look forward to a perfect relationship with God in heaven. To be able to look into God’s eyes will be what we have always longed for. We will find that seeing God will be our greatest joy! All joy will flow from our relationship with God. In Matthew 5:8 Jesus states, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” In heaven our actions, words, thoughts, and feelings will be pure and solely focused on God’s love for us. God’s grace makes us pure and heaven is His free gift to us.

Poet and song writer Fanny Crosby wrote the following lyrics in 1891. The sure hope of a home in heaven is evident in the lyrics as well the joy of living with God forever.

References:
Stohlmann, M. (2020). The world's greatest future. Seattle, WA: KDP.
​Crosby, F. (1891). “Some day the silver cord will break.”