Living A Life Well Lived

A life well lived. Can you relate? Are you taking the necessary steps to achieve this goal? First of all, I know that I'm assuming but, in the future, you would like to look back on your life and be happy with it right? Thought so. Well I know, to a lot of people, this is something that they think about and want to actively work towards as well.

One small bump in the road that distracts (slows down?) the journey towards this goal is that we seem to not fully grasp the concept of past versus the present and future. (At least I tend to struggle with it sometimes.) I feel like sometimes we either are looking in the wrong direction or keep taking pit-stops during our journey. We are looking behind us when we should be looking to see what's coming up in front of us and we are stopping on the way to be "practical" and "plan out our future beforehand."

Here is something that will delegitimize those ideas of pit-stops: you can't. You can't plan out the future (granted you can plan for the future) and you can't look behind you or you'll miss what your passing. Time doesn't stop or pause and your future is every new passing second: the present.

Right now you are in the future of where you were 10 minutes ago and it will be the same 10 minutes from now. In order to put it into perspective I like to think of it this way, you are walking on a path with a line following behind you. All around you and in front of you is beautiful scenery, opportunities, and dreams. As you continue to walk and things keep passing, you are tempted to turn around and look back at the things behind you either because you missed them, want to change something that you did, or want to stop and think about something that you should have done. One problem: you have to keep walking. You have to keep walking because you can't cross the line. You can't cross the line because that is the past and you can't go back to it no matter how hard you try. As you are turned around looking the opposite way you are missing the things in front of you and all of the opportunities passing you by. You can't stop walking because again you can't cross the line and the line never stops because time never stops.

So what do you do? You turn around so you are looking at what's in front and around you, continue walking, and you take notice of the scenery, dreams, and opportunities so that they don't pass you by. You walk in the right direction with the right intentions and don't ever turn around to dwell on the past because you won't have any reason to because you have put your best foot forward and continued in the right direction not letting anything pass you by unseen.

As you go along on your path you should do so with faith and not fear for the Bible says

"For we live by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7

Whenever you want to turn around and look at the shoulda, coulda, woulda of your past you can rest in the fact that the Lord knows His plans for your life and He will never leave you alone on your journey. Jeremiah 29:11 lays it out for us by saying

""For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."" Jeremiah 29:11

Here is another great verse that reminds us to not fear

"The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:7-8

The Bible also talks about how we should live out our life as we continue on our path. A few verses to think about are

"Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24

"Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity, and honor." Proverbs 21:21

As you think about what the Lord says about your future and as you think about how you want to apply what He says to your life I want to challenge you to live a life well lived. Don't dwell on the past but instead look to your future without fear and with determination to live the best life that you can. Don't be lazy and put things off or say you'll do them later when you are just as able to do them then and know that it is probably best. Don't put off your dreams and opportunities to accomplish at a later date. Don't wait to act on things by saying 'in the future I hope to/want to/will do...", why not do them now?

My best piece of advice that I can give you is to give your hopes and dreams to the Lord and see how He will use them. After all, you were born with given interests and talents that not everyone has. He gave you those certain gifts for a reason and not to just be ignored. See how He will use your particular gifts and talents in His plan for your life.

Look to the future with hope not with fear, remember that every day is a brand new day to accomplish anything that you want to, and don't forget to stop and smell the roses every once in a while. ♥
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; and she laughs without fear of the future." Proverbs 31:25