In the 1957 Oscar winning film, "Bridge on the River Kwai," Col. Nicholson, a prisoner of war, is ordered by the Japanese army to build a bridge over the Kwai River. As a dedicated engineer, he desires to do his best even if the result will be used by the enemy. Col. Nicholson accomplishes an amazing task very well, but when the bridge is done and a train is crossing it for the first time, he also sees Allied commandos setting charges to blow it up.
No, he must not let this happen - all his work will be for nothing! Rather than allow his work to be a battle won for the Allies, he wants it to stand as a monument to his abilities. In the end, he loses both the bridge and his life because he does not see there is a greater good at work than his desire to be a good engineer.
Most of the time you and I can see only the short term purpose of our life, and not the long term. We seek our passion, or pleasure, or possessions now as things to want at this very moment. But God sees beyond our moment and may not give us what we want. He may not answer our prayer our way. He seems cruel or unjust because He does not give us our desires. But in the end, His way and His answers are better than ours.
You and I must trust that God sees farther into the future than we can. We must believe He knows what is best for us and will bring it to pass. Our disappointments may hurt us now, but they have an eternal purpose that will bless us and others later when the long term is made known.
God's purposes will be made known to us one day in the eternity of heaven. If our bridges seem to crumble now, it is because He has something far better for us later on.
"Weeping may come at night, but joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
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