So teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12 (ESV)
Life in the Fast Lane
I’ve started to feel my age catching up with me. While my body is holding up or at least holding on, my mind seems to want to skip over what it considers to be unnecessary details. The little things that mean so much are the ones most often overlooked. I find myself wanting to catch these moments and hold onto them forever.
Moments like enjoying an early morning cup of coffee and Bible study with my husband. Moments shared with my daughter when we take a lunch break at our office or do a workout together. These are the moments I live for, yet, they are easily lost in the busyness of life. While I participate in them, I am not always “present” in them. My “to-do” list is calling.
Life need not be in such a hurry. But hurry, it does. Tick tock. That wretched clock grinds on me like water slowly dripping from a leaky faucet. My list of “to-do’s” has been replaced with a longer one of “save-it-for-later’s.” After all, there’s plenty of time to get it done tomorrow, right?
There seems to be more of an urgency these days to find meaning and purpose in my life. I want to be remembered for more than just the inattentive wife and worried mom my husband and kids have come to know me as.
I want to be remembered as the cool mom. You know, the one whose house everyone wants to hang out at? Okay, it’s a little late for that. But it’s not too late to slow down and take a chill pill. For this go-getter, the struggle is real.
I guess I want to do both. Get it all done without wasting needless time and effort, plus be super suave while doing it. But part of learning I’m not as young as I used to be is accepting that multi-tasking while on steroids wears me out. Actually, the thought of it wears me out. After all, this is a marathon, not a sprint, right?
How do we do it all and, at the same time, pace ourselves to endure the race set before us?
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)
Getting Ready
I hope I have many more years ahead of me. Years in which I will be cleansed and purged of the stuff that I thought made me me. Years that will ready me for my departure and prepare me to meet Jesus face-to-face. Years that will remind me of what’s really important.
While I wait, the closer I get to meeting my Savior, the more I realize the ticking clock really doesn’t matter as much as I thought it did. His plans for me are infinite and eternal. He will finish the work he started in me, no matter how long it takes for me to get it right.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 (ESV)
Are you starting to feel as though the clock is ticking faster than ever? I sure do. But we don’t have to be in a constant state of hurry, do we? As we grow older, if life has taught us anything, it is to stop and smell the roses. Here are some changes I will do my best to implement in my life as I enter my golden years.
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I will practice gratitude daily.
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I will be a worshiper, not a worrier.
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I will spend time regularly in quiet solitude
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I will be careful how I think and speak about my situation.
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I will say “yes” more and “no” less to new opportunities.
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I will practice patience.
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I will be “present” when engaging with others.
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I will obey God no matter the cost.
Making the Most of Your Days
Now some of you reading this may be thinking, “Hey! Wait a minute! I am not that old yet. Why are you talking about aging so much? The reality is that no matter what decade we are in, life passes us by quickly. The Bible tells us our lives are but a vapor. So, even though we may have a very long life ahead of us, it is important we realize time still passes by more quickly than we expect.
yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” James 4:14 (ESV)
God gives each of us 24 hours, 1440 minutes, and 86,400 seconds each day. How would you like to spend yours? Laughing or crying, angry or happy, stressed out or chilling out? Do you want to spend it giving or taking? Forgiving or bitter? Selfish or selfless?
As you think about your life, take time to reflect on what matters most to you. Family? Friends? Success? Money? Career? Take a few minutes to pray and ponder what you place as a priority in your life. What do you think about the most? Who or what do you hold closest? I know when I ask myself these questions, it’s quite eye-opening.
I am choosing not to waste another second of my day worrying about things I can’t control, complaining about stuff that doesn’t really matter, or doubting the goodness of God in my life.
As I grow in maturity, I am no longer concerned so much with what others think of me. I want to know what the Lord has to say about how I am living my life. I no longer live to people-please. Instead, I want to love them as Christ loves me. It is my hope that I will please my Lord and Savior more with each passing day. May this be your prayer as well.
Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:23 (ESV)
Dear Lord.
Even though it seems that time is going by too quickly, help us to keep our eyes on you, not the clock. Your plan for us is for our good. We choose to make the most of every opportunity you put before us and embrace each day with joyful anticipation. Thank you for teaching us to wait with hopeful expectation for your return.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on The Faith to Flourish
Featured Image by Renáta Adrienn Uri from Pixabay
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