Haggai 2:1-9

“…Ask them, ‘Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty…’The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place, I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” (From Haggai 2:1-9)

The temple was being restored but the old timers wept because it wasn’t like the one, they remembered. The people no longer had the resources or manpower to make it splendid like Solomon’s Temple had been. Realizing this was discouraging to the workers and was creating a “What’s the use?” attitude among them. The Lord would remind them to keep working and trust Him. The glory is not in the building, but in the one who dwells there; He will give it a glory greater than they had ever known.

Isn’t the same true of many of our lives? There are so many failures, so many things that any one of us could have done differently; but we didn’t. Happiness and peace have been lost, and we can’t believe that we will ever get it back. Some are trying but discouraged by what seems impossible.

Today’s text is just for us. “Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty…My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”

Sure, things cannot be as they once were. That is true of anything in life. God’s restoration is always better than we could have ever dreamed. Please, do not be discouraged; keep working, keep believing. There is a greater glory for your situation, and peace will be its companion. God loves you and will bless the latter more than the earlier if we will faithfully wait on Him.