Ever feel like you’ve blinked your eyes and suddenly you’re stepping into what seems like years ahead from where you thought you were? Or maybe you just feel like you’re not “there” in your day-to-day life. I think we can all safely say we’ve felt these emotions before.
Life goes by so, so quickly. In what feels like a moment, I’m skipping from Saturday to Tuesday, aged four years, and have started preparing for college.
The last few years for me have been a whirlwind. If I take a moment to think about all that has changed, it gets surprisingly overwhelming:
- I moved away from my hometown
- I began high school
- I graduated high school a year early
- I got two jobs
- I started an internship
- I moved houses
- I started a blog
- I lost friends
- I gained friends
- I was accepted into college
Change is such a powerful thing that works through our lives day in and day out sometimes without us even noticing. It can be both beautiful and painful; sometimes change is both of these at the same time. Most of the time we don’t even realize how much life has changed until we take a step back and notice it.
Because of all this crazy change happening in our lives, it’s important for us to enjoy every moment and be completely present. I myself am guilty of going through the motions and forgetting to enjoy life when I have a lot on my mind or I’m just trying to get through the week. The harsh reality of this is I’m not fully embracing the life God has given me. Life is about honoring Him but we have to be happy and live a life of vibrancy to do that.
I think when life gets tough we really are guilty of not being “all there.” Instead of savoring life we instead choose to close ourselves off from it. For some reason we feel it’s necessary to numb ourselves to where we are and what we’re doing all in hopes of just getting by. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to just “get by” through life. I don’t believe God would want us to do so, either. In His word it says, “…I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1). This calling isn’t to cut ourselves off from life when it gets difficult or complicated or frustrating. Because, in fact, Jesus promises that in this world we WILL have trouble. And he didn’t follow that up with “forget about life and go through the motions”. No, instead he says, “But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)!
Instead of going through the motions, let’s choose to follow Christ’s desire for us and take heart. Life may get hectic sometimes, (or a lot of the time) but instead of running let’s enjoy life in it’s full glory all for His glory. You may be in a season that you find boring, painful, sorrowful, exciting or steady. Whatever stage you find yourself in, be intentional about how you use that season to serve God. Wherever you are be all there. You may not be able to choose your circumstances, but you can choose your actions and how you will live your life in those circumstances.
Photo: QuotesToEnjoy
