Don’t Make God
There are times that we come across quotes, that really hit us right in the gut, and remind us of lessons we sometimes just don’t fully get until we get them. I stumbled upon one of those this morning that I would like to share. While watching Pastor Steven Furtick, this morning, he was talking about living your life in a way that it not only honors God but also to show His love to others. Steven said, “Don’t make God take something away from you before you appreciate your life.” How much truth is there in that? I heard that and immediately thought of myself and how I take EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in my life for granted so much of the time. I don’t mean to, as none of us do, but we get busy with the day to day life we lead and before we know it time passes. Days go by, sometimes weeks, before we see or talk to those we love but have gotten too busy for. And it’s not like we’re doing it on purpose. It’s, in most cases, accidental and we aren’t mindful of our actions, or lack of actions.
I’ve got to admit when I first heard him say it my first thought was about my mom. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer in 2009 and spent the next six months battling, what would end up being, the fight of her life. Mom was a good, hard working woman but I can tell you that she worried about everything under the sun. She spent more hours of her life fretting about things beyond her control. I should mention Mom was a control freak… and my family wonders where I get it? I watched her worry most of her life about people and situations she wanted to change but what she didn’t understand was that she couldn’t make those changes. It was in God’s hands and in his timing all along. Long story short, Mom died two days after her birthday that year. We were at odds most of the time because we were just alike in so many areas. Again…and my family wonders why I’m the way I am. But after she passed I realized that I wasted precious time with her. Sure, we butted heads on almost every matter BUT she was my mom and I came from HER and we loved each other. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 4:8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” God also tells us in Ephesians 4:2 to “ Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” I believe what he means is that family is family and there is nothing that can come between you unless you let it. If God is love and love is family then in heart I’m thinking that God is family. And if that’s the case, and I know it is, then we should make the most with the ones he blessed us with because he put them in our lives. Too many times we waste precious moments because of pride or selfishness. Time is not just valuable. It’s precious and we need to treat it that way. We need to make hay while the sun is shining because just like that *finger snap* it could be gone.
The old adage goes something like this…”I don’ t regret the things I done. I regret the things I didn’t do when I had the chance.” I’m just as guilty as anyone of this but I need to work on living my life the way I think is pleasing to God and the way I think he wants me to. God gave us this beautiful life and it’s up to us to live it with meaning and purpose OR just poo poo our days away and waste what little time we have left here in our earthly bodies. Psalm 118:24 says “This is the day the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” That’s my morning mantra and one of the first prayers I say first thing in the morning. The scripture I pray before bed, and I try to live by these words also, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” Ephesians 4:26.
Diligently seek to live the life God gave you with service, grace*, mercy, and above all…love 🙂 And I promise…you will be blessed!
Share some love today!!!
Kelly 🙂
*Shout out to my daughter’s website: http://www.gracemercyandpeace.com
