A Little While Vs For Ever

John 16: 16-22 brings to fore the tension between ‘a little while’ and ‘for ever’, the pull between something temporary and that which lasts for ever. I am reminded of a popular quote from Charlie Chaplin, “Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our problems.” Later, Arnold H Glasow wrote in his book, Gloombusters, “Nothing lasts for ever, not even your troubles.”

The idea of continuous comfort, happiness, and ecstasy is an illusion—if there is such a place of comfort and permanence, look again, that would be a comfortable prison. We keep avoiding the awkward conversations, we fear the financial uncertainty, we escape from judgment from others, or the possibility of failure. And finally we end up staying where we are. It's safer there—yes, as safe as a prison.

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The bridge between our former life and new life is called ‘a little while’. We arrive at new places by crossing over. Do not hesitate to enter into the ‘little while’. If someone does it he just wants to keep you where you are.

Embracing the little while means to Breaking Free. The most dangerous lie we tell ourselves is that these difficulties will last forever. We magnify temporary discomfort into permanent disaster. We imagine worst-case scenarios playing out endlessly, when in reality, most of our fears are about transitions—bridges we must cross, not destinations where we'll live. Think about every major change you've already survived in your life. Remember starting school, moving to a new city, beginning a new job, or ending a relationship. In each case, there was a period of adjustment—weeks, maybe months—where everything felt uncertain and difficult. But you adapted. You learned. You grew stronger. The discomfort is temporary. The growth is permanent.

The Cost of Standing Still: While we're busy avoiding temporary difficulties, we pay a much higher price; the slow erosion of our potential. Every day we choose comfort over growth, we compound the interest on our regret. We watch opportunities pass by, knowing we could have seized them if only we would have been willing to be uncomfortable for a while. Standing still isn't actually standing still—it's moving backward while the world moves forward.

Change always requires crossing a bridge from who you are to who you're becoming. The middle of that bridge is scary—you can't see clearly in either direction, and the ground feels unsteady beneath your feet. This is where most people turn back.

But here's what they don't realise: the bridge isn't as long as it seems from the shore. Most transitions that feel like they'll take forever actually resolve within months. The new job becomes familiar. The new city becomes home. The new relationship finds its rhythm. The new business finds it’s footing. The bridge is temporary. It is only a little while, says Jesus.

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