Mesillas Yesharim and the Master

In, or around, 1738, the Ramchal zt"l (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto) wrote a book entitled "Mesillas Yesharim" (The Path of the Just). The purpose of this book is to lay out systematically the traits needed in order to reach the highest levels of avodas Hashem (the service of G-d). In his first chapter he explains what the sages meant when they said, "This World resembles a corridor before the World to Come" (Pirkei Avos 4:16). He says that man was created, ultimately, to revel in the Divine Presence and the only true place to do this is in the World to Come. The "path" that G-d has given us to get to that point are His commandments. His idea is that our place in this World determines our place in the World to Come. To the degree that we pursue G-d here and now, we will have Him there and then. Likewise, to the degree that we distance ourselves from Him here, we will be far from Him there, G-d forbid.
I believe that our Master (may He be exalted) had a similar view point when He said,

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it." -Mark 8:34-35

The point of Yeshua and the Ramchal is that we are not to be concerned with our physical place in this World. We should not concern ourselves with the building of our own miniture kingdoms, but rather our purpose in this life is to exalt G-d and glorify His Kingship. We prepare while we are here. We work here. We struggle here. It may be difficult now, but we will rest. The sages often make the comparison of the World to Come being like the Sabbath. The Talmud says, "He who toils of erev Shabbos (Friday) will eat on erev Shabbos (Avodah Zarah 3a). The idea is that if you do not work to prepare for the Sabbath, you will not be blessed to have a Sabbath. If we don't cook and clean on Friday, we won't eat or relax and, thus, no rest. However, if we push and work hard during the week, in an attempt to be prepared for the coming day of rest, how much greater will that very rest be?
Therefore, let us push ourselves to the limit, "study to show ourselves approved unto G-d a workman," walk in the Commandments of G-d, and strive to glorify His name among the nations. Let's work harder than we, in and of ourselves, should be able to, because we have the promise of a beautiful Sabbath rest.

May the z'chus (merit) of our Master be upon you,

Be well