Five Seconds and Forever

How long does it take to get an injection? Five seconds, perhaps. It is quick, and for most of us, quite painful. You flinch, brace yourself, grit your teeth, etc. Anything to get through it. But once it is over, something beautiful begins: the healing. The pain starts to subside. The infection begins to retreat. The discomfort that had lingered for days gives way to relief.

I remember a particular incident from when I was much younger. I had hit my ankle somewhere, and it began to swell. At first, I ignored and hid it, as most of us did as kids (especially when we got injured doing something not sanctioned by our parents). Then I tried to treat it at home. Hot water, ointments, bandages. But the swelling persisted, and before long, the area was filled with pus. At that point I could not hide it anymore. The discomfort grew unbearable. I could no longer put my foot down without wincing. So eventually I was taken to the clinic.

The nurse looked at the foot and gave that familiar nod that says, “You should have come earlier.” Then she reached for a syringe. The needle went in: five seconds of sharp, stinging pain. And then, something unexpected: within five minutes, I felt better than I had in days. The pain dulled. The throbbing eased. That single injection, brief but painful, became the turning point in my healing.

That experience has stayed with me, not because of the pain, but because of what it taught me: some discomforts are necessary. Some pains, though momentary, are the gateways to restoration. And life itself is often shaped by these fleeting moments that lead to enduring realities.

Now, let us take a leap from that childhood memory to a much weightier thought: eternity.

Have you ever tried to think about eternity. Not just Heaven, but the very idea of existence without end? It is difficult to grasp. Our minds, bound by clocks and calendars, recoil from the thought. We speak of “forever” in poetry and songs, but in reality, we can barely understand the idea of “next year,” let alone “eternity.” 

What will we be doing? Where will we be? What kind of bodies will we have? Will we recognise each other? How does time even work there?

The Bible does not offer us a detailed itinerary of eternity, but what it does give us is clear and profound: the presence of God, the fullness of joy, pleasures that do not fade, peace without anxiety, and a glory that outshines the sun.

“In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16:11

And yet, here is something I have come to believe with growing conviction: many Christians today do not truly believe in eternity. We speak of it, we sing of it, we nod solemnly when the preacher mentions it. But deep in our hearts, where the decisions are made and priorities are formed, there is often very little evidence that we believe in a life beyond this one.

In fact, I suspect that many christians do not even believe in God, at least not as a living Person, not as a present Reality. What they believe in is the idea of God. A concept. A mental image. Something shaped more by culture, tradition, and popular religion than by truth. And this belief, such as it is, rarely alters the way they conduct their lives.

The problem lies in our understanding of what it means to believe. In Christian circles, the word “believe” has been worn thin. It is tossed about with such ease that we hardly pause to consider what it really means. What is belief? Is it a strong feeling? A loud confession? Is it mental assent, a nod of agreement to a set of doctrines?

I have tried to mimic belief before. Sometimes I do that by squaring my shoulders, speaking boldly, convincing myself that if I say it loud enough or passionately enough, it would become real. But that is not belief. That’s bravado. And confession, although important, is not the same thing as conviction. We say all kinds of things with our mouths, and then contradict ourselves with our lives, sometimes almost immediately afterwards.

True belief is not merely what we say; it is what we live. It is the posture of a soul that has accepted something as true, and then orients every decision, every action, every thought, and every value in light of that truth.

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” – James 2:17

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” – James 1:22

So when someone says they believe in God, that belief should be traceable. It should leave footprints. Their priorities, habits, relationships, speech, and ambitions should all testify to the reality of the God they claim to believe in. If an unbeliever were to follow them around for a week, they should come away with at least one reasonable conclusion: “This person lives as though God is real.”

Ask yourself - do I live as though God is real?

But here's something even more subtle: not all of us who say we believe in God believes in the same God. That is not heresy but honesty. Each person’s image of God is shaped by the sum of their exposure: what they have read, heard, imagined, or inferred. If a thousand people were asked to draw God, you would not get identical sketches. Some would draw a loving Father. Others, a stern Judge. Some would emphasise grace; others, justice.

And that is why Scripture is indispensable. Without the Word of God, our image of God would simply be the reflection of ourselves. Our wishes, our biases, our personality. But the God of the Bible is not the God of our imaginations. He is the God who reveals Himself, who speaks, who acts, and who invites us to know Him as He is.

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” – John 17:17

Christianity, then, is not the invention of a new faith. It is for each man and woman, the discovery of the ancient one. It is not about innovation, but about alignment.

We are called to study what the early church believed, how they lived, and what the apostles taught, and to shape our lives accordingly. But today, that ancient truth is often edited, sidelined, diluted, or dismissed entirely. Some do this unknowingly. Others do it boldly and publicly, crafting a “faith” that suits their preferences. Some people are working hard to create another Christian faith of their own, that is nothing like what we received from the apostles and prophets of Bible times.

But I digress. I'll write more on this one later. Let us return to our discussion on eternity.

Many professing Christians say they believe in Heaven, but their lives betray no such hope. Because if we truly believed in a life after this one, a life that is everlasting, a life that makes this one we currently live look like five seconds of pain before eternal joy, then we would live with that reality in view.

We would see our time here not as the whole story, but as the preface.

We would embrace endurance, not resist it. We would pursue contentment, not covet more. We would welcome our Lord's correction, not resist it. We would view hardship not as the enemy of our happiness, but as the messenger of eternal glory.

“For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17

We would stop measuring success by how much we accumulate in this life, and start measuring it by how faithful we remain.

You can tell if someone believes in eternity by the prayers they pray. Are they asking only for ease, prosperity, and success? Or do they pray like Jesus taught: “Give us this day our daily bread”? Do they ask for grace to endure? For strength to witness? For courage to stand in truth?

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” – Colossians 3:2

If we really believe in eternity, our present lives will reflect it. We will not panic when the comforts of this world are taken from us. We will not despair when we suffer for righteousness. We will not hoard wealth or power as though they could buy us forever.

We will understand that this life, these 70, 80, maybe 90 years, are like the five seconds it takes to receive an injection. It stings. It is uncomfortable. But soon, the healing begins. And then comes forever - our happily ever after.

“He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” – Matthew 10:22

“And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.” – 1 John 2:25