What is your life? (James 4:14)
That’s a great question. Your Creator has provided a wealth of great answers. The world? Not so much.
Your life isn’t something to be avoided, whether by old-fashioned procrastination or high-octane workaholism.
Your life isn’t something to be escaped from, whether with video games or drunkenness or crystal meth.
Your life isn’t something to be wasted, whether in endless social media scrolling, mindless video streaming, or flinging yourself headlong into a lifestyle of complete self-absorption.
So what is your life?
Your life comes with God-prescribed expectations. Don’t avoid them or put them off. Learn them, embrace them, walk in them, for your good.
Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? (4:4-5)
Your life has a God-defined purpose. Don’t ignore it or act as if you somehow know better. Step into your Creator’s purpose as the created.
He gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (4:6-8)
Your life is full of God-given opportunities. Don’t take them for granted or waste them. Bring your best, trust the Giver, enjoy the ordinary and extraordinary moments you’re given, to his glory.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (4:10)
What is your life? Great question, and your Creator has provided a wealth of great answers. Your life comes with God-prescribed expectations. Your life has a God-defined purpose. Your life is full of God-given opportunities. And what is today?
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”–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. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” (4:13-15)
Today is a gift from your Father in heaven. Don’t waste it.