"Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away." - Psalm 39:4 (NLT)
"I am here on earth for just a little while." - Psalm 119:19 (TEV)
Welcome to Day 6 of our Purpose-Driven Life journey! Yesterday we explored how God sees life as a test and a trust. Today, Rick Warren completes the trinity of biblical life metaphors with a truth that will radically shift your priorities: Life on earth is a temporary assignment.
The Biblical Reality of Life’s Brevity
The Bible is packed with metaphors that teach about the brief, temporary, transient nature of life on earth. Life is described as:
- A mist that appears for a moment then vanishes
- A fast runner who quickly passes by
- A breath that’s here and gone
- A wisp of smoke that dissipates
The Bible says: “For we were born but yesterday… Our days on earth are as transient as a shadow.”
To make the best use of your life, you must never forget two truths:
- Compared with eternity, life is extremely brief
- Earth is only a temporary residence
You won’t be here long, so don’t get too attached.
You’re Just Visiting Planet Earth
Repeatedly, the Bible compares life on earth to temporarily living in a foreign country. This is not your permanent home or final destination. You’re just passing through, just visiting earth.
The Bible uses these terms to describe our brief stay:
- Alien
- Pilgrim
- Foreigner
- Stranger
- Visitor
- Traveler
David declared: “I am but a foreigner here on earth,” and Peter explained: “If you call God your Father, live your time as temporary residents on earth.”
Your Spiritual Green Card
Warren uses a powerful California illustration: Many people work there while keeping citizenship with their home country. They carry a “green card” allowing them to work without being citizens.
Christians should carry spiritual green cards to remind us that our citizenship is in heaven.
God says His children should think differently about life from unbelievers: “All they think about is this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.”
Real believers understand there is far more to life than just the few years we live on this planet.
The Danger of Falling in Love with This World
Your identity is in eternity, and your homeland is heaven. When you grasp this truth, you’ll stop worrying about “having it all” on earth.
God is very blunt about the danger of living for the here and now and adopting the values, priorities, and lifestyles of the world around us. When we flirt with this world’s temptations, God calls it spiritual adultery.
“You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way.”
The Ambassador Analogy
Imagine your country asked you to be an ambassador to an enemy nation. You’d need to:
- Learn a new language
- Adapt to customs and cultural differences
- Have contact and relate to them to fulfill your mission
But suppose you became so comfortable with this foreign country that you fell in love with it, preferring it to your homeland. Your loyalty would change. Your role as ambassador would be compromised. Instead of representing your home country, you’d start acting like the enemy. You’d be a traitor.
The Bible says: “We are Christ’s ambassadors.”
Sadly, many Christians have betrayed their King and His kingdom. They’ve foolishly concluded that because they live on earth, it’s their home. It is not.
The Clear Biblical Warning
“Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.”
God warns us not to get too attached to what’s around us because it’s temporary: “Those in frequent contact with the things of the world should make good use of them without becoming attached to them, for this world and all it contains will pass away.”
Why Modern Life Makes This Harder
Compared with other centuries, life has never been easier for much of the Western world. We are constantly:
- Entertained
- Amused
- Catered to
With all the fascinating attractions, mesmerizing media, and enjoyable experiences available today, it’s easy to forget that the pursuit of happiness is not what life is about.
Only as we remember that life is a test, a trust, and a temporary assignment will the appeal of these things lose their grip on our lives. We are preparing for something even better.
“The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”
Why Life on Earth Is Difficult
The fact that earth is not our ultimate home explains why, as followers of Jesus, we experience:
- Difficulty
- Sorrow
- Rejection
It also explains why:
- Some of God’s promises seem unfulfilled
- Some prayers seem unanswered
- Some circumstances seem unfair
This is not the end of the story.
The Divine Design of Dissatisfaction
To keep us from becoming too attached to earth, God allows us to feel a significant amount of discontent and dissatisfaction in life – longings that will never be fulfilled on this side of eternity.
We’re not completely happy here because we’re not supposed to be! Earth is not our final home; we were created for something much better.
Warren illustrates this powerfully:
- A fish would never be happy living on land because it was made for water
- An eagle could never feel satisfied if it wasn’t allowed to fly
- You will never feel completely satisfied on earth because you were made for more
You’ll have happy moments here, but nothing compared with what God has planned for you.
How This Should Radically Alter Your Values
Realizing that life on earth is just a temporary assignment should radically alter your values. Eternal values, not temporal ones, should become the deciding factors for your decisions.
As C.S. Lewis observed: “All that is not eternal is eternally useless.”
“We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The Fatal Mistake About God’s Goals
It is a fatal mistake to assume that God’s goal for your life is material prosperity or popular success, as the world defines it.
- The abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance
- Faithfulness to God does not guarantee career success or even ministry success
- Never focus on temporary crowns
Consider the faithful who didn’t “succeed” by worldly standards:
- Paul was faithful, yet ended up in prison
- John the Baptist was faithful, but was beheaded
- Millions of faithful people have been martyred, lost everything, or came to life’s end with nothing to show for it
But the end of life is not the end!
God’s True Hall of Fame
In God’s eyes, the greatest heroes of faith are not those who achieve prosperity, success, and power in this life, but those who treat this life as a temporary assignment and serve faithfully, expecting their promised reward in eternity.
“All these great people died in faith. They did not get the things that God promised his people, but they saw them coming far in the future and were glad. They said they were like visitors and strangers on earth… they were waiting for a better country—a heavenly country. So God is not ashamed to be called their God, because he has prepared a city for them.”
Your time on earth is not the complete story of your life. You must wait until heaven for the rest of the chapters.
The Missionary Story
Warren shares an old story of a retiring missionary coming home to America on the same boat as the U.S. President. Cheering crowds, military band, red carpet, banners, and media welcomed the president home, but the missionary slipped off unnoticed.
Feeling self-pity and resentment, he complained to God. Then God gently reminded him: “But my child, you’re not home yet.”
The Eternal Perspective
You will not be in heaven two seconds before you cry out: “Why did I place so much importance on things that were so temporary? What was I thinking? Why did I waste so much time, energy, and concern on what wasn’t going to last?”
When life gets tough, when you’re overwhelmed with doubt, or when you wonder if living for Christ is worth the effort, remember that you are not home yet.
At death you won’t leave home—you’ll go home.
Living as a Temporary Resident
Understanding that earth is your temporary assignment should change:
- Your attachments – Hold things loosely
- Your investments – Put your treasure in heaven
- Your perspective – View difficulties as temporary
- Your priorities – Focus on eternal values
- Your identity – Remember you’re a citizen of heaven
The Faith Required
It takes faith to live on earth as a foreigner. It requires believing that what you can’t see (eternity) is more real than what you can see (this temporary world).
But this perspective is liberating! It frees you from the endless pursuit of more stuff, higher status, and worldly success. Instead, you can focus on what truly matters: your relationship with God and your preparation for eternity.
Day 6 Reflection Questions:
- Point to Ponder: This world is not my home.
- Verse to Remember: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)
- Question to Consider: How should the fact that life on earth is just a temporary assignment change the way I am living right now?
Your Temporary Assignment Challenge: Today, identify one area where you’ve been too attached to earthly things. Ask yourself: “Am I living like a tourist or like I’m settling down permanently?” Then make one decision based on your heavenly citizenship rather than earthly comfort.
https://www.purposedriven.com/day6Tomorrow’s Preview: Having established the foundational perspective on life, we’ll begin exploring the first of God’s five purposes for your life – you were planned for God’s pleasure through worship. Learn more about Day 6 on Purpose Driven website.
How has viewing earth as a temporary assignment changed your perspective on your current attachments and priorities? Share your insights below as we prepare to discover God’s specific purposes for our lives.
John Thole is the voice behind Beyond Salvation, a blog that captures the highs and lows of life through faith, laughter, and honest reflection. With a passion for storytelling, technology, and spiritual growth, he creates content that resonates with seekers, believers, and anyone navigating life’s journey. Whether sharing personal insights, devotionals, or thought-provoking discussions, John aims to inspire, uplift, and spark meaningful conversations.
