What is your life? James 4:14b (NIV)
Before I begin I want you to know I am so excited to share with you just one of the many things I am learning right now. I just started reading a book "The Purpose Driven Life" and this writer grabs your attention from the start. As Rick Warren wrote this book, he often prayed that the reader would experience the incredible sense of hope, energy, and joy that comes from discovering what God put us on the planet to do.
My word for this year is perspective. I have done my best to look beyond the problems in my life for the most part. I am learning to see myself in a new light; the way God sees me. What I read to today "Seeing Life from God's View" yet again, has me changing my perspective. We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are. Anais Nin
The way you see your life shapes your life. How you define life determines your destiny.
One of the best ways to understand other people is to ask them, "How do you see your life?" You will discover that there are as many different answers to that question as there are people. I've been told life is a circus, a minefield, a rollercoaster, a puzzle, a symphony, a journey, and a dance. People have said, "Life is a carousel: Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down, and sometimes you just go round and round" or "life is a ten-speed bicycle with gears we never use" or "life is a game of cards: You have to play the hand you are dealt." (This is taken from day 5 Seeing Life from God's View) - Rick Warren
Personally I have always said, "My life is like a roller coaster." One in particular starts out going through a dark tunnel, then a sharp turn, slowly climbing up, then quickly races downhill. While there are others that literally turn you upside down. Now, I realize I need to change my perspective again. After reading these next two sentences I understand why even if I think my life is rollercoaster this is what takes place. Your unspoken life metaphor influences your life more than you realize. It determines your expectations, your values, your relationships, your goals, and your priorities. Good thing I kept reading because this is what I want to share with you. I learned the Bible offers three metaphors that teach us God's view of life: Life is a test, life is a trust, and life is a temporary assignment. I already knew these things, but now I have a new perspective regarding them. It is like God hit the refresh button! Life is a test: God will always test our character. I fail this test more than I care to admit. My faith is tested when problems arise, my self-control is tested when others make me angry, and among so many other areas my love is tested by the way I love others. I know that life is a test. Thank God it is a test that we retake everyday and eventually we can look back and see the results have improved.
Life is a trust: Everything we have is from God. "We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans the earth to us while we're here. It was God's property before you arrived, and God will loan it to someone else after you die." Rick Warren
Today this hit me like a ton of bricks. Thinking about what God has given me I need to "handle it with care" and start being more responsible. God gives so much precious cargo and I have just set it aside. With tears in my eyes I know what my calling is and what God is entrusting me with. I know my purpose and although I can reach others through this blog, There is so much more that I need to do. I have had a wake up call before, but today it feels so urgent. Maybe I am actually going through another growth spurt. Actually these words really hit home. At the end of your life on earth you will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you handled what God entrusted to you. I have reached others, but I haven't been focused on what God wants me to do.
Life is a temporary assignment: We all know that this life is temporary. Here is the real question. What are we doing with our time here on earth? I realize I have always wasted time. Time is of the essence, so why do we waste it? We all have obligations and should be responsible in fulfilling them with a sense of urgency. Instead, many of us procrastinate as if there will always be more time to finish. We are not promised tomorrow.
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