Suffering in Heaven?

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne. - Revelation 5:6

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” - Revelation 21:3-4

John, the author of the book of Revelation, gets let in a a huge secret - he gets to see how we all are connected after this life. In his vision, there are a couple of key things that relate to suffering.

First off, he sees Jesus with his scars (the Lamb looking as if he were slain). The scars don’t go away in heaven. That means there’s not a total erasing of the memories of our brokenness and pain.

Second off, he sees the massive healing of people that culminates in the death of death and the end of pain. This is the final blow to suffering: we get to be together; we get to be connected to God; we get to experience unending joy.

This is the vision of what we’re destined for ultimately. Thanks God for that and join the rest of us in praying, “May your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!”