“If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world.” –C.S. Lewis
Nothing on this earth will ever satisfy us. We all have a burning desire in us, a hole that we are all so desperate to fill. Some of us turn to relationships, others to work, or maybe even drugs/ alcohol. Look around you; our world is messed up. You cannot even turn on the radio or TV without hearing about the latest sex scandal, robbery, or betrayal. My heart breaks when I see young people on MTV or celebrity gossip cursing, gossiping, sleeping around, or drinking to an embarrassing state. People who get wrapped up in this world are not bad people; they are lost and seeking comfort. Sadly, they are seeking comfort in the wrong places; they are missing the point: This life is not forever! My pain, your pain, their pain will be healed in heaven. C.S. Lewis said: “God sees two types of people: those who say “Thy will be done” and those to whom God says, “All right then, have it your way.”
This life is setting the stage. What we chose to do on this earth, and who/what we decide to live for, determines where we will spend eternity!
I often find myself worrying about the smallest things. Looking back at some of the things that (at the time) seemed so important, now seem so unimportant. “If Billy bob doesn’t ask me to prom my life is over…. If I don’t get the new Louis Vuitton bag I wont look as cool as Sally…. If I have to spend another weekend without a date I am such a loser.” Wow… That is ridiculous! Hopefully I never sounded that bad, but I guarantee we can all look back at things we thought we could never live without and realize those things are NOT IMPORTANT!!!! Philippians 3:7- But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless.
“The closer you live to God, the smaller everything else appears.”- Rick Warren
In the purpose driven life, Rick warren relates today as the visible tip of the iceberg. Eternity is what we do not see underneath the surface.
2 Corinthians 4:18- So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
The world has come to expect instant gratification. Think about it, If I want to talk to someone there are several different ways to get a hold of that person: call, text, email, skype, gchat… the list goes on.
“I had this guy leave me a voicemail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It's exhausting.” –He’s Just not that into you
My generation has no clue what it is like to wait weeks to hear back from someone. I admire generations predating even my parents and grandparents… My generation cannot even fathom life before cell phones. I wonder how many friends I would even have if I decided to disable my cell phone number, cut off my email? “Girls, I have decided my life is to hectic… all this noise, I can no longer take it! Here is my address please write soon, can’t wait to hear what’s new in your life!” By the time I got that letter it that news would be ancient! Honestly, what is so important that it cannot wait a few hours, minutes, or even seconds?
“The most damaging aspect of contemporary living is short term thinking.” –Rick Warren
We (especially my generation) need to start thinking Long term and quit focusing on the here an now. Instead of worrying about today, focus on what God has in store for the future. I encourage you to rejoice in what is to come! Although we do not talk every day, my cousin Lindsay is one of my best friends. Every time we talk its like no time has passed, I enjoy the conversations we have and always feel uplifted when our phone calls end. Lindsay recently lost her mother and she is currently working through the pain of that loss. I cannot even begin to compare that pain to anything in my life. My dear friend bailey has also lost her mother. These two dear friends of mine know what it is like to truly lose someone. I am sure they often want to laugh at the things I am upset about in relation to the pain they feel. Death is real to both of them. God has blessed me with healthy friends and family. Death has not become something real in my life and I praise God every day for that. But death should not be looked at as something morbid, but as something beautiful. Rather than being the end of a life, we should look at death as their birthday to eternal life with Jesus! I want the day I pass to be a celebration, because it will be my birthday into heaven! I pray that when someone special in my life passes, God will give me the strength to view it as their birthday, and not a day of death.
Lindsay and bailey, if you are reading this, I want you to know how much I admire both of you for the strength you have shown me!
Lindsay and Me Bailey and Me
Hebrews 13:14 For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.
2 Corinthians 5: 5-7: Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight.
Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin ~Grace Hansen
Today’s Challenge:
Pretend today was your very last day one this earth, what would you do? Now imagine God sends you an email/call/ or text and it says: “Today is your last day and I want you to live it for me.” Now what are you going to do?
Hmmm… Can I do everything God wants me to do in one day? If my purpose is to serve him and share his love with others how am I suppose to live each day? Yes, this is God’s purpose for my life, he wants me to be a living testimony for him, so I need to start today! I may not be able to reach hundreds of people in one single day, but today I can start with just one. I challenge you to think of one person, just one, that you can pray for and show Christ’s love to. Maybe its someone you don’t even know, someone in your office or someone at your church that you casually pass. Maybe today you should reach out to them, simply say hi and ask them about their day. God does not call us to perform miracles; He calls us to love!
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