Really, if you think about it, we have such a short amount of time here on earth.
Sometimes it feels like you have forever—like the years are creeping by. But the older you get, the more you start to realize that this life is lightning fast. And when you begin to appreciate how quickly the days move from high school to college to career to, you know, retirement (with all sorts of great stuff in between, of course), you can’t help but examine how you’re living your life. Are you making the most of your time here? Are you investing in other people? Are you living on purpose for the kingdom?
It’s not uncommon that, when we ask ourselves those questions, our focus can get all wonky (and yes, that is an official scientific term). We start to put all sorts of burdens on ourselves to “get it right”—feeling the pressure to perform and do better and quit wasting time—and when that happens, we’re inevitably confronted with (and reminded of) our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our failures. And before we even realize it, we’ve taken ourselves out of the game, so to speak. We think and act like God can’t possibly know how to handle our weaknesses.
- We wonder if God is really for us.
- We think His mercy has limits.
- We assume His grace stops right before it reaches us.
- We decide that our sins are unforgiveable.
- We worry that we’re not enough.
- We clutter our thoughts with worst-case scenarios.
- We cower at the first hint of fear.
- We dismiss the unique ways the Lord has gifted and called us.
- We doubt His power to redeem our sin, our brokenness, and our failures.
- We question His ways.
- We depend on ourselves instead of Him.
What a relief to know we are not the source of ultimate power, and we are not the point. What a relief to know we serve a God whose grace is sufficient and whose strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). What a relief to know He has created us, He has appointed our time on this earth, and He holds the plan for all our days. What a relief to know that when we surrender our lives to Him, He will give us everything we need to make the most of our time on earth.
- Our heavenly Father pursues us.
- He knows everything about us.
- He loves us unconditionally.
- He provides for us.
- He never forgets or forsakes us.
- He makes a way for us.
- He comforts us.
- He restores us.
- He heals us.
- He saves us and sets us free.
- He leads us and sustains us moment by moment by moment.
There’s no doubt that all of our time on our earth is precious. It is fleeting. It is fast. But we serve an unchanging, eternal God who holds all our days in the palm of His hand. When we live with deep dependence on Him (not ourselves!) and unwavering trust in Him (not ourselves!), we live on purpose. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). And we won’t miss what matters most.
1. When you think back on, say, first grade, does it feel like yesterday or does it seem like forever ago?
2. Do the years seem to move faster as you get older?
3. Do you ever wonder if you’re doing enough with the life you’ve been given?
4. What do you believe is the biggest purpose of your time here on earth? If you’re not sure, jot down a few thoughts that pop into your mind.
Today’s Prayer