In just the blink of an eye we can miss out on an incredible opportunity. Life is so fast paced that I often find myself trying to just slow it down for a minute and soak it all in. It’s so easy to get stuck in the fast lane that we might miss out on something that’s right in front of us. Real life example, I spend time focusing on what I want or hope to find some distance down the road that I miss all that is right in front of my eyes.
This past week I spent some great time reflecting and remenescing on my college days – and let me say, they were some of the best days of my life. Simply put, life can escape us when we’re in the fast lane. Just think, every year at Christmas don’t we find ourselves saying “didn’t we just take this tree down?!” Or maybe it’s celebrating an anniversary, and you think, “has it really been another year?!” Well the simple answer is yes to both of those questions that drive us crazy. But really, I find that life is so much more valuable when I’m enjoying it in the moment and not the what if’s.
Thinking about what could be is a great concept, however, Jesus doesn’t promise us tomorrow. James says in chapter 4, “You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring–what your life will be! For you are like a vapor that appears for a little while, then passes away.” That alone is a great reminder to me that living for the now, in the current moment, is what’s best. Why spend so much time thinking about something that I may never really have the chance of experiencing? Focus on living now and living for Him in that moment!
I easily find myself swerving back into the fast lane mostly when life throws me a curve ball or I hit a big speed bump in the road. I then find myself thinking, what if life was like the game of “Life?!” Anyway, the fast lane is where I tend to stray away from Jesus. Which really makes perfect sense to me. When life gets hard, naturally I wanna run to things that will “fix” the problem or make me “feel better” about whatever is really going on. In my own personal story, it’s the complete opposite. When those curve balls from life happen, Jesus is our defense and protector. It’s Him that we really need to run to. But then there’s that fast lane that makes everything a challenge – Jesus doesn’t do life in the fast lane.
Remember those old school merry-go-rounds that used to be in our neighborhood parks? Well, life is like a merry-go-round. Our world spins and turns constantly, sometimes at a playful pace and other times at a quick, violent pace. The center of the merry-go-round doesn’t spin as fast as the edge of the merry-go-round—making the center the more calm experience of the ride verses the alternative, having to hold on tight if you’re standing towards the edge.
Life can be viewed from two distinct vantage points, similar to the merry-go-round. In one, we feel like we’re flying at a million miles an hour, and the other we feel like we’re at peace.
I find this example quite profound and quite simple all at the same time. While I want to live in a world of peace, I also realize that life will feel like it’s spinning out of control many times. That’s the reminder of how much I need Jesus. My goal day to day is to live my life in full pursuit of strengthing my relationship with Jesus. In all I do, I want to do it all for Him–and that can only happen when I’m holding on tight to His grace, love and promise–so with that desire, my daily life will thirst to live for Him and all for Him!
United. 