The last question of the ladies’ Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) homework for the week hit a nerve. The focus was on Revelation 21-22. The offensive question was, “What does the promise of God’s eternal reign, constant light, and continual presence with His people mean to you?”

The first two promises comfort me. God eternally reigning? Cannot wait! Constant light? Sounds great! I hate the dark. But, that third promise has been disconcerting for several years now. Why would I eagerly anticipate coexisting eternally with people who have completely abandoned me in the here and now despite my desperate protests?

How do we transform this particular promise into powerful comfort? The lively discussion that occurred among the ladies in my BSF group was a catalyst to further my understanding.

When I arrive in heaven, it will not be me who shows up. At least not the current version of me. It will be the completely Christlike me. As to any offending party, they also will not be arriving as their current version. It will be their completely Christlike version that exists for all eternity. (Philippians 3:20-21; I Corinthians 15:51-53; I John 3:2)

Comfort still farfetched? This next part was the lightbulb moment for me as I pondered the reality of every human in heaven being absolutely Christlike.

Ponder Christ’s interaction with Peter after the resurrection. How did Christ treat Peter? His friend that had denied him. Denied him again. And even denied him one more time. All during Christ’s greatest hours of physical and emotional agony. And all after Peter emphatically declared that he was willing to die for him. And all after Christ had calmly informed him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” (Mark 14:28-72). How did Christ respond to such absolute abandonment by a close friend?

Christ went straight to Peter. He sought him. He forgave him. He loved him. He chose him to be a key human leader of the newborn church. (Mark 16:7; Matthew 16:18; John 21:15-17; Acts 2:14-41)

Part of the reason their reconciliation was possible was that Peter was completely broken by his sin. He saw it clearly. He did not justify himself. Defend himself. Deny his denials. He one hundred percent owned his actions.

Heaven will be void of the aroma of pride, defensiveness, blaming, denial, self-protection, resentment, and bitterness. Heaven will permeate with absolute humility, absolute repentance, absolute forgiveness, absolute compassion, absolute mercy, absolute graciousness, and absolute trust.

Existing with God’s people for all eternity is a tremendous comfort because we will be radically transformed into Christlikeness to our very core. Every single true believer will be humble, kind, loving, and tender-hearted through and through. The evil still lingering in us causing so much pain and division in the present will be thoroughly eradicated.

In heaven, all will be like Christ. All will head straight towards one another. We will be fully restored because we will be fully like Christ. Now that is a comforting promise!