Today, as a follow up for myself, I searched for some verses that help me to do this. I have mainly focused on verses about what God has promised to those who believe. I’d like to share what I found. Feel free to add any others in the comments.

There are kind of a lot of verses here, but take a second to think about them if you really want the full impact. :)

1 Peter 1:3-9

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Colossians 3:1-4

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”

1 Peter 1:13

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

Romans 5:1-5

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Hebrews 6:19-20 (Read the whole chapter for context on this: Hebrews 6)

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:28-29

“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29for our God is a consuming fire.”

Hope these are encouraging to you! What verses would you add to this list?

Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— ¹³ each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. ¹⁴If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

There’s a quote I like that says, “Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that doesn’t really matter.” (Anonymous)

This passage calls to mind this quote. It’s easy to fill your time with things to make it seem like you’re accomplishing something–we work hard and give all at our jobs, we train to succeed in physical feats of greatness, we work hard to be the best at this or that, etc. The question, though, that we need to constantly be asking ourselves is Will my work really count for anything in eternity?

This verse says that our work will be tested by fire. If the things we pursue don’t withstand the fire, we will suffer loss. All our money, affluence, and achievements will be burned; only our relationships and the love we show by the power of Christ will last through the fire.

The encouraging part is that we will be rewarded for the things that last, but we ought to live wisely now.

Today consider how you are living. Will the things you’re investing your time in stand up against the flames of eternity?