“That’s life.”
You’ve heard people say that. You’ve said it.
Can you recall a single time those words were uttered after something good happened?
“Someone just picked up the tab for my lunch. That’s life.” “I just got a clean bill of health at the doctor’s office. That’s life.”
Somehow, many people live either attempting to make the most of life because this is as good as it gets or, if they are people of faith, attempting to be as good as possible while they hang in there and wait for the promise of something better after they die.
Both of those are unfortunate perspectives.
So, what do you do when life is scary, confusing, painful, frustrating, and ___________ (fill in the blank with your own words)?
If we are people of faith, we often pray and ask others to pray with and for us. Even people who don’t have a personal faith may sometimes ask for prayers, good thoughts, and positive vibes.
“The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace.” (Psalm 29:11)
I have oftentimes prayed for strength and peace (actually as recently as this morning). My supposition is that most everyone reading this has done so as well. We crave God’s closeness in those times.
May I tell you something amazing?
For those who are in Christ, God is as close as He will ever be. He is so close that the Bible says He is in us and we are in Him. He cannot get any closer.
May I tell you something equally amazing?
For those who are in Christ, we already have all the strength and peace we will ever need. It is not a matter of needing more, but of seeing and experiencing that which is already ours in Him. Not being removed from the circumstances, but amazingly strengthened and at peace in the circumstances.
We don't need more of Christ, but to see and experience that which is already ours in Him. Click To Tweet
So, this morning, I shifted perspective and changed my prayer. Instead of asking for strength and peace for today, I thanked Him for the abundant strength and peace that are already mine and asked Him for the grace to live in that reality.
Please don’t misunderstand: it is not wrong to ask. God is neither offended nor impatient with us when we ask for what we already have.
He just wants us to fully experience Him in all His goodness and to have an eternal perspective that allows us to live unshackled by the temporary pains and disappointments of our earthly journey, even while we continue in that journey.
We are not waiting for rescue and relief someday in heaven. We are fully alive and complete in Him now.
About this time last year, through an intensive life planning journey, I developed this statement: “Gerry exists to guide explorers to discover their amazing by demonstrating and championing sacred amazement.”
This is why I write to you every week. Your life matters to God and life is amazing.
Seriously. I’m not kidding.
