How incredibly easy is it to fret over moments that, when we reflect back in a few years, are truly insignificant in the grand scheme of our lives? How quickly can we find ourselves in a tizzy of comparison? How sneaky is the allure of a temporary fix?
Life’s lessons, maturity, trusted advisors, and Bible Study can sharpen our discernment to decide what is worth sweating or becoming motivated over – and what’s not. Ultimately, each day, we have to decide if we are going to focus the bulk of our precious time and attention on things that have earthly or eternal value.
Fortunately, we do not have to figure this out blindly. There are countless examples in the Bible for Godly living that not only educate us, but empower us to live out an abundant, faith-filled life. If you’ve not yet had the chance to read the book of Proverbs, you can read one chapter a day for a month and find abundant wisdom and a sort of instructional manual for living.
Although far from comprehensive, here are some examples of situations that can help us sharpen our focus as we move through this summer and beyond.
Earthly: fretting over what we will wear or eat today (See Matthew 6:25).
Eternal: trusting God to meet our needs. Bonus: if we are able, taking a meal to someone in need of nourishment or encouragement.
Earthly: allowing a one-time, unthoughtful comment or interaction ruin our day (or longer).
Eternal: offering grace and forgiveness to the offender (Matthew 18:21-22), recognizing we’ve all said and done things we regret.
**Note: Repeatedly harmful comments, conversations, or relationships require healthy parameters (Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend have a very useful book aptly named “Boundaries”). Forgiveness does not require remaining in an abusive relationship.
Earthly: looking left and right, comparing ourselves to others.
Eternal: knowing that God created each of us as His unique son or daughter, and all humanity is made is His image (Psalm 139:14).
Earthly: judging others when their choices, actions, or decisions do not match ours.
Eternal: keeping our eyes on our own “paper” (Matthew 7: 1-5).
Earthly: acting out of fear of peer pressure, judgment, condemnation, or scorn.
Eternal: doing what we know to be right, even when the choice is unpopular with the world (James 4: 17).
Earthly: living for the pursuit of momentary enjoyment through life’s comforts, indulgences, or numbing techniques.
Eternal: embracing the Joy that accompanies walking through life with the knowledge and presence of the Holy Spirit, knowing one day we will get the opportunity to spend eternity with Jesus (Matthew 28: 19-20).
Please know I have personally failed to take the eternal approach for each scenario listed above – more than a few times. I have also been mocked for taking the eternal perspective – also, more than a few times.
But the more I understand the grace and grit offered through Jesus’ teachings, the more emboldened I have become to take the long view and road. The path may be more narrow, but the rails are reliable and strong. I know I will still stumble, but as one of my favorite hymns – Great is Thy Faithfulness – states, “morning by morning new mercies I see.”
It is my prayer for you and myself that we can focus more on the eternal than the earthly with each passing day. I pray we can walk in the freedom and abundance of life God offers. While the enemy is offering lurking on the earthly road, Jesus provides comfort when he states in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Let’s live it to the full, friends.
Rooted in Grace and Grit 