Don’t Waste Your Life

2017 has been quite an eventful year. From witnessing a solar eclipse, to the numerous natural disasters that plagued several, Caribbean, South American and American cities (and many others).

We can look back and be thankful that we are alive and well to be able to say we survived all that. However, the question arises, how much of 2017 has been purposeful? Looking back at 2017 and its accomplishments, there may be a struggle between settling for complacency and comfort with the current status quo as well as frustration and disappointment with how much is yet to be done. Instead, I would encourage having an increased focus and seeking a clearer vision for 2018. It is never too early to start evaluating the year and pondering on what went well, what needs to be improved and what needs to be changed.

One of the things I am learning is the importance of purpose. Yes, I will bring it up again! Lol, purpose is so vital.

 

Purpose

Purpose gives direction and helps avoid haphazard living and wasted energy. Purpose means you focus your energy on a particular area.  Many lives and plenty of time can be wasted because we neglect to spend time in God’s presence to discover what our purpose is. I think it may also help to realize that we have limited time on this Earth. We are placed in our community, our generation, our life season and within our demographic for a specific purpose to accomplish a particular mission. At the end of the day we will have to give an account for how we spent our time and life. Does this affect or change the way we live our lives?

As we get older do you notice how the years seem to be flying by quicker? There were times when the summer holidays seemed like they would never end and boredom could last forever. Yet, nowadays summer seems to fly by so quickly that at times I am left wondering if it even existed. Such is life. There is a time and season for everything under the sun (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Don’t Waste Your Life

One of the things that struck me after reading John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life was the brutal honesty and painful realness. It challenges the human aspects that we seem to ignore in our walk with Christ.

For example, the idea of sacrificial love is a ‘nice’ concept theoretically but living it out practically is an entirely different thing. We are by nature flawed human beings. Can you imagine putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation for someone else? Someone that may not even be as grateful as you think they ought to be, or someone that will somehow end up hurting you. But, isn’t that what Christ did for us? Yet, while we were still sinners He died for us (Romans 5:8).  Piper further states;

 “We are taught in a thousand ways that love means increasing someone’s self-esteem. Love is helping someone feel good about themselves. Love is giving someone a mirror and helping him like what he sees. This is not what the Bible means by the love of God. Love is doing what is best for someone. But making self the object of our highest affections is not best for us.” (page 33)

I find it interesting from this passage that true love doesn’t mean always catering to someone whims and feeding their ego rather telling them what they need to hear rather than what they want to hear.

We each created uniquely and individually so God can be glorified in us and we may be satisfied in Him. There is a purpose and desire for purpose in the deepest part of our soul. That is why we are naturally wired to want to feel happy.

Why do we procrastinate and have low tolerance for delayed gratification? Because we want to feel happy and stress-free all the time!

 But our soul can be satisfied when we achieve our purpose in order to bring glory to God.

“We were made to see and savour God – savouring Him, to be supremely satisfied, and thus spread in all the world the worth of His presence. Not to show people the all-satisfying God is not to love them.”

John Piper

Anytime the mundane activities of daily living start to cloud one’s sight of the future goal and ultimate purpose, be reminded that there is limited time and some things occur best in certain seasons. There really is no humility in living small. Rather the best way to live is to glorify God by walking in your purpose. Allowing your light to shine before men so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). Intentionality is very important in glorifying God and in ensuring that a purposeful life is lived. At the end of it all what will be said of us and how we have spent our time on earth? 2017 is not over yet.

Don’t Waste Your Season, Don’t Waste Your Time, Don’t Waste Your Energy

Don’t Waste Your Life.

 

#KeepOnKeepingOn

Mo 🙂 x