Most Christians have no concept of what Heaven is really like

[1213]

...it and whatever the answer to these what do you actually expect heaven to be like?

This world is incredibly beautiful, when humans have not ruined it. I expect it to be even better, a place without evil.

 

[parousia70]

I don't think we'll have burgers and chicken wings in Heaven, though No death. No dead animals. Maybe they'll have vegetarian equivalents that taste just as good!

Don't we already have those?

 

[parousia70]

This world is incredibly beautiful, when humans have not ruined it. I expect it to be even better, a place without evil.

Then who are these people, Just outside the gates of the New Jerusalem, in the New Heavens and Earth that Revelation 22:15 testifies are there?
"But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie."

If there is no evil there, how are there people there in the process of practicing sexual immorality, sorcery, murder, idolatry and lies?

 

[JacksBratt]

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Revelation 21:1-5


King James Version


21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.


2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.


3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.


4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.


5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

 

[zoidar]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been a couple of threads that have left me with the impression of the title of this post. It seems to me that people really do not know what to expect when in heaven. I've just done a reply to one but would like to do a thread based purely on what peoples expectations of heaven are. In that post I linked the article below and put in these quotes from it which really highlight my views on what to expect in heaven. I really think heaven is far more amazing than most Christians think and there is a real lack the concept of what it is like.
"and as startling as the impact of first love."
"I understood that they made the music because they could not contain it. It was the sound of sheer joy."
"filled to overflowing with indescribable, unconditional love."
(I will just add that some of this does appear to be metaphorical, such as the speck on a wing a of a butterfly)

What heaven's really like - by a leading brain surgeon who says he's been there: Read his testimony before you scoff...it might just shake your beliefs | Daily Mail Online

So what I want to ask is have you ever done any study on what heaven is like, have you had any revelation of it and whatever the answer to these what do you actually expect heaven to be like?

I figure it will be much like before the fall, Earth without sin basically. Heaven is called the new Earth in revelation.

 

[JacksBratt]

I figure it will be much like before the fall, Earth without sin basically. Heaven is called the new Earth in revelation.

I agree that it will be very similar.. in many respects.. Eden was called a paradise...

More people though.

 

[BNR32FAN]

I don't think we'll have burgers and chicken wings in Heaven, though No death. No dead animals. Maybe they'll have vegetarian equivalents that taste just as good!

How could that possibly be eternal paradise? I don’t understand.

 

[chad kincham]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been a couple of threads that have left me with the impression of the title of this post. It seems to me that people really do not know what to expect when in heaven. I've just done a reply to one but would like to do a thread based purely on what peoples expectations of heaven are. In that post I linked the article below and put in these quotes from it which really highlight my views on what to expect in heaven. I really think heaven is far more amazing than most Christians think and there is a real lack the concept of what it is like.
"and as startling as the impact of first love."
"I understood that they made the music because they could not contain it. It was the sound of sheer joy."
"filled to overflowing with indescribable, unconditional love."
(I will just add that some of this does appear to be metaphorical, such as the speck on a wing a of a butterfly)

What heaven's really like - by a leading brain surgeon who says he's been there: Read his testimony before you scoff...it might just shake your beliefs | Daily Mail Online

So what I want to ask is have you ever done any study on what heaven is like, have you had any revelation of it and whatever the answer to these what do you actually expect heaven to be like?

Why would you want to spend eternity in heaven? God won’t be in the heavens, neither will Jesus.

Hint: Zechariah ch. 14; Revelation ch. 21.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been a couple of threads that have left me with the impression of the title of this post. It seems to me that people really do not know what to expect when in heaven. I've just done a reply to one but would like to do a thread based purely on what peoples expectations of heaven are. In that post I linked the article below and put in these quotes from it which really highlight my views on what to expect in heaven. I really think heaven is far more amazing than most Christians think and there is a real lack the concept of what it is like.
"and as startling as the impact of first love."
"I understood that they made the music because they could not contain it. It was the sound of sheer joy."
"filled to overflowing with indescribable, unconditional love."
(I will just add that some of this does appear to be metaphorical, such as the speck on a wing a of a butterfly)

What heaven's really like - by a leading brain surgeon who says he's been there: Read his testimony before you scoff...it might just shake your beliefs | Daily Mail Online

So what I want to ask is have you ever done any study on what heaven is like, have you had any revelation of it and whatever the answer to these what do you actually expect heaven to be like?

Heaven is not our final home for eternity. The new earth is the manifestation of the Kingdom of God where our King ,Jesus Christ of Nazareth resides forever with His chosen.
Be blessed

 

[Jamdoc]

I don't trust any extra biblical expressions of heavenly tourists. What we have from the prophets and apostles is a lot of singing which.. yeah, I know OP is referring to me in a thread I did about the mansions that some people see as something to look forward to. I don't value material wealth much so I don't get ally jazzed about any promises of material wealth. But I also expressed to him that I don't enjoy singing, some others of you might also know this.

It creates a very pessimistic view of heaven for me when the thing displayed most in heaven is something I don't like doing.
Try to put yourself in my shoes for a moment and imagine, if the word of God displayed heaven as something that you don't like doing, in every time heaven is described.
Like imagine if it was washing the dishes before the throne of God instead of singing, if you like singing (I can't imagine people who really like doing dishes, it's a chore they do because they have to). If that's what heaven was described as, an eternity of washing dishes, would you be as excited?

 

[Jamdoc]

Well, we're given some clues throughout Scripture.

1. We have the description of the Holy City, right down to its size and the jewels and materials crafted into its gates and walls and streets (Rev 21:9-21). I'd post it here but it's a long passage.

2. We know that there will be a new earth, too! (Rev: 21:1) Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

3. I think it's really curious that the sea/ocean will not exist anymore, if you take this verse literally. There may no longer be a sun or moon, though this verse doesn't specifically say that, only that they won't be needed to light the city: (Rev 21:23) The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Kinda sad to me, because oceans are beautiful. If I got to choose my own environment for a new earth we'd have oceans that are clearer and cleaner than they've ever been on this earth, and we'd be able to breathe and see clearly underwater to see all the coral reefs and colorful fish, and not fear sharks or dangerous tides. But that's not the image presented.

I also get far more excited at the idea of a new earth than I do about the Holy City, because I love nature and wildlife and solitude. And the thought of having a whole new planet to explore and enjoy, without any of the curses of sin (thorns, stinging insects, dangerous wild animals, sunburn) just sounds so wonderful! And even more wonderful is that we'll be communing with the Lord the whole time. Even if I'm wandering over some far-off mountain, I'll never feel alone or away from God.

Same, and not just this planet I'd like to explore others. I like playing a video game (unfortunately one of the few things I can really do with my disabilities) called No Man's Sky, where you just get in your own space ship and fly around to star systems and explore procedurally generated planets and see weird animals. I'd like to do something along that lines but real, and intelligently designed planets rather than randomly generated stuff. It'd be way better.

4. We also know that there will be feasting and drinking in Heaven! Woohoo! (Matthew 8:11)
I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.

Only thing that might be bad about the feasting is... no meat as far as we know, unless God is going to have bacon trees or like they're considering now, lab grown meat. I'm more of a savory person than sweet so.. eternity of eating fruit kinda doesn't light me up.

5. No one will be married or get married. There won't be any need for it. All of our longings for love and companionship and intimacy will be fulfilled. (Matthew 22:30) At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Easily the most disheartening verse in scripture for me. To never be special to anyone and not have any woman special to me just a bunch of generic "brothers and sisters" but.. I digress on that.

6. While we are assured that our earthly lives will be but a distant memory, and all of our tears will be wiped away by Jesus Himself, I don't think we're going to lose our personalities in Heaven, or that we'll become some conglomerate, Borg-like mass of consciousness. There are several verses where individuals are named after they've died and gone to Heaven (Matthew 17:2-4) There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” And I'm honestly glad about this one, because the thought that I'll somehow FORGET who I am, or not be MYSELF anymore, is terrifying to me.

That is also a fear of mine, when the bible keeps mentioning that we're the body of Christ and we are "in" Christ I get some fears of losing individuality, and that gets reinforced by people saying that your desires will change to only desire God.. so. one size fits all eternity. I have the fear that God would change me so much that it's like the person who I actually am is just deleted from existence and replaced by a doppleganger with a more convenient personality. That's not eternal life that's annihilationism and replacement.

7. We won't be idle! The long-sustained image of people just sitting or standing around, smiling and doing nothing but singing, for endless millenia...does not sound appealing to me! We know that at least some Christians (this verse seems to indicate only those who endured the last tribulation and died for their faith) are going to reign with God (Rev 20: 4-6). Reigning is work! And if we think back to the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve weren't idle. They tended the garden and the animals. The work was pleasant, though. Not back-breaking, sweaty labor, but rewarding, enjoyable, useful work, as God intended it to be. I imagine there will be endless things for us to do, whether it be a role we're given or a choice we can make ourselves. I like to imagine that the Holy City has vast, vast libraries, where all the answers to all the mysteries of the universe can be researched. And even if you study for ten thousand years, there will always be more to study!

This is at least hopeful although the only job specifically mentioned is ruling, but ruling over who has always been the thing I've wondered.

 

[NerdGirl]

Kinda sad to me, because oceans are beautiful. If I got to choose my own environment for a new earth we'd have oceans that are clearer and cleaner than they've ever been on this earth, and we'd be able to breathe and see clearly underwater to see all the coral reefs and colorful fish, and not fear sharks or dangerous tides. But that's not the image presented.

Ah, maybe we'll have vast lakes that still have an oceanic feel to them? Being able to breathe underwater would be amazing!

Same, and not just this planet I'd like to explore others. I like playing a video game (unfortunately one of the few things I can really do with my disabilities) called No Man's Sky, where you just get in your own space ship and fly around to star systems and explore procedurally generated planets and see weird animals. I'd like to do something along that lines but real, and intelligently designed planets rather than randomly generated stuff. It'd be way better.

Hey, who knows? Maybe you will!

Only thing that might be bad about the feasting is... no meat as far as we know, unless God is going to have bacon trees or like they're considering now, lab grown meat. I'm more of a savory person than sweet so.. eternity of eating fruit kinda doesn't light me up.

Pretty sure God can craft a feast that will satisfy all of your meatish cravings and you won't be thinking about it one bit

Easily the most disheartening verse in scripture for me. To never be special to anyone and not have any woman special to me just a bunch of generic "brothers and sisters" but.. I digress on that.

I can understand this, as I am a huge and hopeless romantic. I think, if you had a spouse or lover on earth, you'll still recognize them as such; as having been "special" to you. But all of the desires that we seek in spouses on earth will be fulfilled by our nearness with God. Because, if you break them down and analyze them, that's all they really are. The desire to be known, to be close, to be held, to be cherished, to be wanted, to be connected. All of that will be satisfied in a perfect way that can never happen perfectly on earth. Our desires and relationships with lovers are just mirror images of the relationship God wants with us. But trust me, I get it. We can only look at these concepts through our earthly eyes for now

That is also a fear of mine, when the bible keeps mentioning that we're the body of Christ and we are "in" Christ I get some fears of losing individuality, and that gets reinforced by people saying that your desires will change to only desire God.. so. one size fits all eternity. I have the fear that God would change me so much that it's like the person who I actually am is just deleted from existence and replaced by a doppleganger with a more convenient personality. That's not eternal life that's annihilationism and replacement.

I used to have this fear, too, but I don't anymore. We'll be a perfected version of ourselves. We aren't going to stop being us! Just like when you're at church and you feel that amazing "oneness" with the people around you. That's just a tiny taste of what we'll experience! But we'll still be ourselves, even while we're so much more connected to the rest of the Body

This is at least hopeful although the only job specifically mentioned is ruling, but ruling over who has always been the thing I've wondered.

Ruling entails a whole host of duties all by itself. And there will be a vast city with undoubtedly lots of duties to fulfill. And a new planet, perhaps with gardens and fields to tend, animals to care for. I imagine the creative types will be writing endless music and songs, perhaps penning tales and stories, painting, sculpting, and making art!

 

[Jesus is YHWH]

Ah, maybe we'll have vast lakes that still have an oceanic feel to them? Being able to breathe underwater would be amazing!



Hey, who knows? Maybe you will!



Pretty sure God can craft a feast that will satisfy all of your meatish cravings and you won't be thinking about it one bit

I would like to walk on water

I can understand this, as I am a huge and hopeless romantic. I think, if you had a spouse or lover on earth, you'll still recognize them as such; as having been "special" to you. But all of the desires that we seek in spouses on earth will be fulfilled by our nearness with God. Because, if you break them down and analyze them, that's all they really are. The desire to be known, to be close, to be held, to be cherished, to be wanted, to be connected. All of that will be satisfied in a perfect way that can never happen perfectly on earth. Our desires and relationships with lovers are just mirror images of the relationship God wants with us. But trust me, I get it. We can only look at these concepts through our earthly eyes for now



I used to have this fear, too, but I don't anymore. We'll be a perfected version of ourselves. We aren't going to stop being us! Just like when you're at church and you feel that amazing "oneness" with the people around you. That's just a tiny taste of what we'll experience! But we'll still be ourselves, even while we're so much more connected to the rest of the Body



Ruling entails a whole host of duties all by itself. And there will be a vast city with undoubtedly lots of duties to fulfill. And a new planet, perhaps with gardens and fields to tend, animals to care for. I imagine the creative types will be writing endless music and songs, perhaps penning tales and stories, painting, sculpting, and making art!

I would like to walk on water

 

[Jamdoc]

Ah, maybe we'll have vast lakes that still have an oceanic feel to them? Being able to breathe underwater would be amazing!

Hey, who knows? Maybe you will!
Pretty sure God can craft a feast that will satisfy all of your meatish cravings and you won't be thinking about it one bit
[/quote]
Maybe, but at this point I'm kind of conditioned that heaven isn't about what I want it's about God's glory. So I don't expect much for me personally.

I can understand this, as I am a huge and hopeless romantic. I think, if you had a spouse or lover on earth, you'll still recognize them as such; as having been "special" to you. But all of the desires that we seek in spouses on earth will be fulfilled by our nearness with God. Because, if you break them down and analyze them, that's all they really are. The desire to be known, to be close, to be held, to be cherished, to be wanted, to be connected. All of that will be satisfied in a perfect way that can never happen perfectly on earth. Our desires and relationships with lovers are just mirror images of the relationship God wants with us. But trust me, I get it. We can only look at these concepts through our earthly eyes for now

It's a little bit worse for me I feel, and I wonder why other men don't have the same apprehension about their needs for intimacy being fully satisfied by another male. Not when we're told that's an abomination and it kinda makes you think "why did God create women and a desire for women when the eternal relationship is with a male?" It never ceases to make me feel emasculated. It is for a myriad of reasons the most challenging part of being a Christian to me. this idea that I have to switch from desiring a woman, to desiring a male God, and that all things sexual, and being one flesh with a woman, and all of it, is a picture pointing to those desires being satisfied by a male God.

I used to have this fear, too, but I don't anymore. We'll be a perfected version of ourselves. We aren't going to stop being us! Just like when you're at church and you feel that amazing "oneness" with the people around you. That's just a tiny taste of what we'll experience! But we'll still be ourselves, even while we're so much more connected to the rest of the Body

Its the language that the bible uses "in Christ" rather than "with Christ" for instance, combined with an old anime I watched called Neon Genesis Evangelion, where they had a "Human Instrumentality" Project and the result was everyone's bodies and consciousnesses merging together into one giant sea of orange liquid (that fans of the show call tang) and losing identity. Just a scary concept, I mean one of the reasons you seek Christ is to deal with existential crisis, of what happens when you die, do you just stop existing, etc etc. So for me it's very important to still be "me". To not lose identity, to have my own body, and my own personality. If heaven has a loss of identity and everyone becoming "one" it's very similar to that non existence fear, it's still a scary concept to me. Thankfully the bible does show individuals, and even names individuals like you pointed out.

Ruling entails a whole host of duties all by itself. And there will be a vast city with undoubtedly lots of duties to fulfill. And a new planet, perhaps with gardens and fields to tend, animals to care for. I imagine the creative types will be writing endless music and songs, perhaps penning tales and stories, painting, sculpting, and making art!

Maybe, and a little speculation I don't think hurts too much but at the same time, if it's not explicitly in the bible I don't speculate on it too much, in a way, that kinda sets you up for disappointment. Like earlier the space travel thing, if I set my heart on being able to do that and God says nope, you have to stay on the new earth, I'd be disappointed. So I can't set my heart on that, because God hasn't promised it.

 

[RDKirk]

interesting, if paul tells us God did not allow him to reveal what heaven was like in the scripture, you think God Would allow others to reveal that same secret?

Yes, and what is the compelling evidence that those people actually bear true witness?

 

[NerdGirl]

Maybe, but at this point I'm kind of conditioned that heaven isn't about what I want it's about God's glory. So I don't expect much for me personally.

We're promised "pleasures forevermore". It's not as if you'll be standing there, sullen and disappointed, while everyone else parties. I promise

It's a little bit worse for me I feel, and I wonder why other men don't have the same apprehension about their needs for intimacy being fully satisfied by another male. Not when we're told that's an abomination and it kinda makes you think "why did God create women and a desire for women when the eternal relationship is with a male?" It never ceases to make me feel emasculated. It is for a myriad of reasons the most challenging part of being a Christian to me. this idea that I have to switch from desiring a woman, to desiring a male God, and that all things sexual, and being one flesh with a woman, and all of it, is a picture pointing to those desires being satisfied by a male God.

I'd never thought about that angle before. Bear in mind that God encompasses both male and female. Men and women are made in His image. And the relationship that we have in Heaven won't be sexual, because there won't be any need for it anymore; marriage, children, etc. You have to remind yourself that what you desire and wish now won't be the same as then. You'll still be you, and your basic personality won't change. For instance, if you've spent your whole life loving dogs, I imagine you'll still love dogs in Heaven! But sexual desire isn't something we carry from birth to death. We feel it for a season. We don't feel it as children, and it fades as we grow older, because it serves a purpose; to join with another person and create children. I don't think we'll "miss" that in Heaven. That desire will simply not be there. Again, don't picture yourself being sexually frustrated in Heaven and feeling let down. That's NOT going to happen

Its the language that the bible uses "in Christ" rather than "with Christ" for instance, combined with an old anime I watched called Neon Genesis Evangelion, where they had a "Human Instrumentality" Project and the result was everyone's bodies and consciousnesses merging together into one giant sea of orange liquid (that fans of the show call tang) and losing identity. Just a scary concept, I mean one of the reasons you seek Christ is to deal with existential crisis, of what happens when you die, do you just stop existing, etc etc. So for me it's very important to still be "me". To not lose identity, to have my own body, and my own personality. If heaven has a loss of identity and everyone becoming "one" it's very similar to that non existence fear, it's still a scary concept to me. Thankfully the bible does show individuals, and even names individuals like you pointed out.

Have you never felt "oneness" with a large group of people before? At church, at a concert, at a sports game? It's not scary, right? It's really cool! You're still fully YOU. But you're part of something bigger, and you aren't focused just on yourself.

Maybe, and a little speculation I don't think hurts too much but at the same time, if it's not explicitly in the bible I don't speculate on it too much, in a way, that kinda sets you up for disappointment. Like earlier the space travel thing, if I set my heart on being able to do that and God says nope, you have to stay on the new earth, I'd be disappointed. So I can't set my heart on that, because God hasn't promised it.

Disappointment will not exist in Heaven

 

[Biltong65]

Over the last couple of weeks there have been a couple of threads that have left me with the impression of the title of this post. It seems to me that people really do not know what to expect when in heaven. I've just done a reply to one but would like to do a thread based purely on what peoples expectations of heaven are. In that post I linked the article below and put in these quotes from it which really highlight my views on what to expect in heaven. I really think heaven is far more amazing than most Christians think and there is a real lack the concept of what it is like.
"and as startling as the impact of first love."
"I understood that they made the music because they could not contain it. It was the sound of sheer joy."
"filled to overflowing with indescribable, unconditional love."
(I will just add that some of this does appear to be metaphorical, such as the speck on a wing a of a butterfly)

What heaven's really like - by a leading brain surgeon who says he's been there: Read his testimony before you scoff...it might just shake your beliefs | Daily Mail Online

So what I want to ask is have you ever done any study on what heaven is like, have you had any revelation of it and whatever the answer to these what do you actually expect heaven to be like?

Let alone, most humans...

 

[Jamdoc]

We're promised "pleasures forevermore". It's not as if you'll be standing there, sullen and disappointed, while everyone else parties. I promise

Well that IS my biggest worry that I'd have to go off somewhere else and hide to avoid spoiling everyone else's joy. I'd have a rosier (although false) view of eternity if I'd never read the bible to be honest.

I'd never thought about that angle before. Bear in mind that God encompasses both male and female. Men and women are made in His image. And the relationship that we have in Heaven won't be sexual, because there won't be any need for it anymore; marriage, children, etc. You have to remind yourself that what you desire and wish now won't be the same as then. You'll still be you, and your basic personality won't change. For instance, if you've spent your whole life loving dogs, I imagine you'll still love dogs in Heaven! But sexual desire isn't something we carry from birth to death. We feel it for a season. We don't feel it as children, and it fades as we grow older, because it serves a purpose; to join with another person and create children. I don't think we'll "miss" that in Heaven. That desire will simply not be there. Again, don't picture yourself being sexually frustrated in Heaven and feeling let down. That's NOT going to happen

Well, I don't exactly think we're going to be kissing up to a bearded Jesus, no. But.. those expressions of affection are pleasant to have, and.. as far as we know, we won't be doing them with anyone. Is it really gonna just be handshakes and sidehugs?
Sex isn't just about procreation it's also an expression of love and intimacy. It's not like a married couple gets to menopause and just never has sex again. So while having children might not be necessary those other 2 things still are, and I often question on how you can express love and intimacy with the amount of distance people put between themselves in gestures of affection that are for people that aren't your spouse. Handshakes and sidehugs aren't intimacy they're a deliberate way to limit intimacy.
Not to mention, if you're a life long bachelor/bachelorette, never had kids, but always desired to have them.... a father is not a child, He doesn't become that role. So that role in your life remains missing. People try to cope with that missing role by having "fur babies" in this life but.. honestly, it's not a true replacement or fulfillment for someone that you care for and nurture and teach and watch grow.
So there is still a massive, and I mean MASSIVE FOMO for me when it comes to those topics. I can only experience so much joy vicariously through seeing other people have joy in their children before it bounces back to reflect on me the absence of such a thing in my own life.. instead of being bitter sweet it's sweet then bitter.[/quote]

Have you never felt "oneness" with a large group of people before? At church, at a concert, at a sports game? It's not scary, right? It's really cool! You're still fully YOU. But you're part of something bigger, and you aren't focused just on yourself.

Sure like I said, I'm reassured that there's still identity in the bible, but often times in my wrestling with concepts like how I'll be happy in a place that promises that things I would like won't be there and shows the main activity as being something I dislike doing, and the concept of how a desire for intimacy would be met and how would I not feel like I missed out on good things, ideas like "well maybe we're all just melted together" come into fruition. False ideas, but, like I said, they crop up because I have no other way to solve those missing holes, the things I miss out on, and how to experience joy doing something I hate 24/7/365/eternity, than to have my personality wiped like a formatted hard drive, and replaced with a more convenient personality.
It also leads to a bunch of what you probably think of as bizarre coping mechanisms I'm sure, such as just feeling like "okay so I'm not here in heaven/new earth for my own desires, I'm here for God, whether I'm happy or not is totally irrelevant." Ultimately, I don't exactly have a better option... my current life in my current disabled body isn't exactly joy, and after it, it's either endure endless torture, or whatever heaven is even if it's like going to visit Grandma's house where you really want to visit Grandma herself but the futon is uncomfortable, and there are no kids in the neighborhood for you to play with... at least you're not being tortured.
But what I can't see for myself is, truly being happy and totally fulfilled, without feeling like I missed out on anything good.

Disappointment will not exist in Heaven

So then what happens if you set your heart on something that God has not promised and God tells you no?
I used to hope that I'd be married in the resurrection, until I actually read the bible. Words can't express the disappointment.
The worst part about that all was, when I'd think about this false heaven where I was married, the spirit put on me a very CONCENRED admonition.. if I had to put it into words He said "well... about that.. what if I told you that's not going to happen, and that you'd always be single. Trust me there's a reason for it, but that's what I decided. Can you be okay with that?"
The concern that was there .. He knew I was setting myself up for massive disappointment and that I needed the truth, even though it was a painful, disappointing truth. Better to wrestle with it now than in eternity I guess.

 

[RDKirk]

Jamdoc said: ↑
Maybe, but at this point I'm kind of conditioned that heaven isn't about what I want it's about God's glory. So I don't expect much for me personally.

We're promised "pleasures forevermore". It's not as if you'll be standing there, sullen and disappointed, while everyone else parties.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. -- Psalm 37

Sounds like in heaven we get a lot of the Lord.

 

[Jamdoc]

Jamdoc said: ↑
Maybe, but at this point I'm kind of conditioned that heaven isn't about what I want it's about God's glory. So I don't expect much for me personally.



Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. -- Psalm 37

Sounds like in heaven we get a lot of the Lord.

It's a self fulfilling prophecy. If you make the Lord your desire, He will give you Himself, that is, the desire of your heart.
It's a little like being told the menu at a chow hall and deciding after being told, that what you desire to eat, is what you're being served, so of course, you're now getting what you want. But if you want something that's not on the menu, they're not going to provide that for you.
I don't read that verse as if you take delight in the Lord He becomes your genie in a bottle giving you everything you want.
Verses like Matthew 22:30 and Revelation 21:1 about their being no seas sounds like the asterisk "some restrictions may apply"
Paul says "how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" well, how about "He doesn't because He said He wouldn't"? He is sovereign, He does make the decisions, and and if we want something He's said no to.. should we still expect to get it?
So, if you make it the only thing you want to do, is stare at Jesus, well then yes, God is going to give you that, it's promised.
Anything else? *some restrictions may apply

and with that agreement I just get that you're telling me "well then just stop wanting things like marriage and children so you can't be disappointed"?