Nope.. This life is not all there is... I believe that! There is also Eternity after this life is over... Where shall we spend it? What am I sending on ahead, and will the things that concern me a lot matter, *in the scheme of eternity?*
We are made of body, mind, & spirit.
Sooo, that causes me a lot of thinking of late as the old body is wearing out.. yes we wear out! :-) Or we can be recalled by our maker at any moment in the time of our lives.
I PRAY, Hope, Attempt and work at trying to please my heavenly Father, first, & foremost. Being what he desires of me.
There are some questions I ask myself and even state to others about how am I/we living this present day..
Ya see I've come to realize that Life is NOT all about me. I'm a child of King Jesus and so... Life is about following Him. Becoming more like him. Being concerned about what concerns him. Living to please Him and sharing His love with others. God Is a Good God and Loving Creator. I am fearfully and wonderfully made.. He has designed the best way of living, and relating to Him and others. He has given us free choice, and the consequences of our choices or rewards for them belong to us & our choices.
So.. since life is NOT all about me.. who is it about? It is about Jesus and Others.
JOY is ~ Jesus 1st Others 2nd Yourself 3rd
No Joy, Peace in you life? Try it his way.
He put others first! I should too.
He Loved others more than His own life, I should too.
He was concerned about what was best for others... not himself.. I should be also.
I don't think I ever heard of him saying "What about me?" Have you?
Tho.. Just once in the hours before what he *knew* would be excruciating pain coming up... after all he had a human side, but just for an instant he wanted to not endure the suffering... and then he moved on to being Jesus... doing for us what we could Not Do for ourselves, no matter what it cost him in agony.
Are ya getting it? I hear of struggles here..there, or discord in families/marriages or in churches .. and it hurts my heart when Pride, That Me/Myself/ & I thing, rears his ugly head and says.."They hurt ME!" "They don't deserve forgiveness, you just don't know what they did to ME!" "I" deserved better!" "You don't make ME happy." "They never missed Me"... *I* don't like the decisions they are making.." Etc. etc. etc.
I have learned that IF I/we follow & *apply* God's word to ourselves... He takes care of the others as we leave the consequences of our doing it his way, to Him. Father knows best.
So now, when I think about day to day life and Eternity.. Yes mom, I remember your answer to my questions, and, I am asking it still, of myself & others...
#1. "What does the Book (Bible) say? That is our Manual for Living & dying.
Then my gals in our class have come up with a few other quips to run our situations, circumstances & lives thru.. maybe it will help you also..
2. "In the scheme of Eternity.. will that bit of frustration really matter? After all Life is not all about me/you. What does Jesus say?
3. "How's that working for you?" IF is isn't what's the problem?.. Am I a part of the problem or a part of a solution? What do I see in me as I look into the mirror of God's word concerning just me? Maybe I'd better be in the Bible reading God's love letter to me, for me, and not for anyone else. What is He saying needs to change, in me? Ouch! Yes He wrote a long letter to each of us! Leaving nothing to doubt. THEN....
4. "H.A.L.T.!!" Make NO decisions when you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired. That's when we tend to make wrong decisions..
5. "Build a bridge, and get over it!" that is sort of self explanatory.. tho not always easy. BUT.. We are to be Bridge Builders NOT blowing up Bridges.
6. "T.H.I.N.K." When talking to OR about someone.. Think! before you speak! Is what I am thinking or about to say..
True? Helpful? Inspiring? Needful? Kind?
Even if it 'might' be True, Is it Needful or Helpful to say? will what I am about to say Inspire anyone? And above all... BE Kind! And of course.....
Back to "What" Does the Book Say?"
and where do we go from Here?
Eternity is coming along with Judgement day for the Believer & non-believer alike... I'm going God's way and so grateful for His Love, Forgiveness, rescuing me from Hell, & the promise of Eternity with Him and leaving for me a Manual For Living.
OH God
Help me to be putty in your hands...
Help me to be Others minded...
Help me to be Forgiving of slights,
Help me to be more Giving of ALL of me...
And so much more...
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