My Life. Your Life.

I’ve been fascinated about life lately. Mine. Yours. Everyone I pass by throughout my week. We all live….all of us have lives. Right? I know I sound ridiculous to say we have lives because that would be the biggest “Duh” statement of the week. Yet, I’m still confused…

I’ve had weeks in my life that I can’t remember a single thing that happened. There are parts of my life that I have no stories to tell; no memories to bask in; no recollection of at all. These are the forgotten days. I know I lived those days I can’t remember. They were real days. Just as real as the ones I can remember. Why?

There have been days where I could tell you what happened as if I was reading to you from the book called Jonathan’s Life. These days are usually coined as the good times. These are the days I like to talk about. Every detail could be described: what clothes I was wearing, what I was doing, what it smelled like, who was there and what emotions I was feeling at the time. Again, these days I remember are just as real as the days I can’t. Why?

Then, of course, there are the days we wish we could forget. The days we wish never happened. These days are known to us as the hard times. These days are similar to the remembered days except these days are more consumed with anxiety and regret. We don’t like to talk about these times. These days we wish could fit in the category of forgotten. Why?

What makes a moment in our lives worth not only remembering, but desired to be shared to those around us? How do we define what is worthy of our remembrance?

If I would have asked myself these questions just a few months ago I my answers would be dramatically different then they are today. I only desire to share these thoughts with you not to tell you what to do, but only in the hopes that through my experience, you would experience a stirring in your heart that is only experienced through Jesus Christ…Our Savior…Our God.

Because I’m not the wisest or most knowledgeable man in this world, my thoughts are given to you through the bible. I am convinced more and more everyday that the truth we long to hear and know is only a verse away from our lips. It just takes a little desire to seek it out...a desire for the truth to be known. So let’s read…

Philippians 4:4-13

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

What makes a moment in our lives worth not only remembering, but desired to be shared to those around us? How do we define what is worthy of our remembrance?

The answer: all of them. Now of course I’m in no way telling you to think of things that will cause you to sin. Neither should there be ANY condemnation that rules your heart and mind. For we know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The reason we should think about all the moments and all the memories of our lives is to show those around us and to ourselves the restoring grace of God through Jesus Christ.

For the good times in our lives there the grace of God is found. The hard times there is grace flowing for you and for me; Even in the overwhelming thought that there’s grace for us poured out on the forgotten moments; the days that can never be remembered…grace is at hand.

We’re challenged by the writer of Philippians in chapter 4 to change our thought process, our whole perspective we have of our lives. Anything and everything in our lives should be followed with rejoicing God by grace gifted us through the abounding mercy and joy of Jesus Christ.

Too long have we allowed the bad moments in our lives, the memories that have filled us with so much fear and anxiety, determine our perspective of our lives. We also cannot let the good times we’ve had become the focus of our relationship with Christ. Jesus did not come to bless you he came to save you from yourself. When the blessings become more important than the one who blesses we will find ourselves in the moments we wished we could forget.

I know I have been challenged to rejoice in God with the sustaining joy He gives in not only the really good, but the really bad. He is the same God when we find ourselves backed in the corner. He is the same God that we thank when our money issues aren’t really an issue anymore. I have been guilty of worshipping him when I feel He’s listening and ignoring Him when I know I’m in the wrong. Or maybe I’ve done everything I could do right and life never seems to get easier. What I’ve learned is life will be life no matter how I feel. You can’t take challenging times out of life. Otherwise, what exactly did Jesus die for?

My prayer for you and me as we read this together is that we see that for a long time now our perspective has been broken; it’s outdated; it doesn’t even get us through day-to-day life. I think that’s why we find ourselves so many times shaken so quickly by the minor and major things that happen daily. If you find yourself in your day, just as I do, to be perfectly content one moment and the next the world has changed forever, I encourage you to read Philippians 4. Talk to God; Get alone and ask him to give you His perspective; to see through the His eyes.

I hope you can join with me and see that we should thank God, no matter how bad or good our situation, for being merciful enough to rescue us. Realize that freedom is a real thing. Freedom is attainable today; it’s only through Jesus. You won’t find anything close to the grace of God anywhere else; no matter how hard you try.

So now we both find ourselves in a brand new moment; it’s happening right now. How will we remember this moment? Forgotten, despised, or embraced? The moment is ours. Let’s stand up and choose.