Avoiding a Wasted Life
No one arrives at the end of year (or at the end of a life for that matter) having purposely wasted opportunities or intentionally missed out on fulfilling adventures. But somehow, it seems we can arrive at the end of a year like this, and realize there were many squandered opportunities. We feel with the character in the popular movie based on Alexander Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, when he said, "I could have handeled that differently..."
Looking at all the untouched hours of this new year before you, at all the unlived hours you face, you can make a fresh determination to live them to their fullest, to count for God in order to avoid a wasted year in 2007.
There are 8560 hours in one year. How can you arrive at this time next year, 8560 hours from now, having invested, rather than frittered away the precious hours and opportunities God gave you? If you want to avoid wasting the year, here are some suggestions that will help you:
You will have to...
1. Challenge the Natural Flow of Life toward Complacency. The river of life is on a continual, non-stop journey to a destination we cannot see. We can be like all the trash, dead fish, and filth that is flowing along to the end, or we can take the oars of opportunity and begin to move against our natural inclinations of complacency, procrastination, inactivity, and apathy. Good intentions and no activity will get you a year down the river, with many regrets and lost opporutnities.
2. Resist the Continual Pressure of the World to Conformity. There is a constant and intense pressure from the world around us to give in to a much lower standard of holiness. Paul encouraged us to avoid being "conformed to this world..." (Rom. 12:1). The world is ever like the tempting voice of Delilah was to Samson (Judges 16) who "pressed him daily" in order to bring him down. The voices we hear from friends, media, work place, internet etc. are ever pressing us with viewpoints, philosphies, and ideas that will weaken our testimony and ultimately bring us down spiritually if we buy into them.
No one arrives at the end of year (or at the end of a life for that matter) having purposely wasted opportunities or intentionally missed out on fulfilling adventures. But somehow, it seems we can arrive at the end of a year like this, and realize there were many squandered opportunities. We feel with the character in the popular movie based on Alexander Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo, when he said, "I could have handeled that differently..."
Looking at all the untouched hours of this new year before you, at all the unlived hours you face, you can make a fresh determination to live them to their fullest, to count for God in order to avoid a wasted year in 2007.
There are 8560 hours in one year. How can you arrive at this time next year, 8560 hours from now, having invested, rather than frittered away the precious hours and opportunities God gave you? If you want to avoid wasting the year, here are some suggestions that will help you:
You will have to...
1. Challenge the Natural Flow of Life toward Complacency. The river of life is on a continual, non-stop journey to a destination we cannot see. We can be like all the trash, dead fish, and filth that is flowing along to the end, or we can take the oars of opportunity and begin to move against our natural inclinations of complacency, procrastination, inactivity, and apathy. Good intentions and no activity will get you a year down the river, with many regrets and lost opporutnities.
2. Resist the Continual Pressure of the World to Conformity. There is a constant and intense pressure from the world around us to give in to a much lower standard of holiness. Paul encouraged us to avoid being "conformed to this world..." (Rom. 12:1). The world is ever like the tempting voice of Delilah was to Samson (Judges 16) who "pressed him daily" in order to bring him down. The voices we hear from friends, media, work place, internet etc. are ever pressing us with viewpoints, philosphies, and ideas that will weaken our testimony and ultimately bring us down spiritually if we buy into them.
3. Oppose the Powerful Attraction of the Flesh to Compromise. Our carnal nature, our old man, who we are without/apart from Christ is ever on the prowl, seeking gratification. It is not annihalated when we receive Christ. We are given a new nature, a new man, that can overcome this old nature, but the old nature is still there, ever ready to be tempted, every clamoring for attention and gratification. The progression seen in Psalm 1 reveals the slow route the flesh takes to eventually get us-- a person goes from walking with the Lord but being tempted and looking at thinking about, and discussing with himself the possibility, desire, and pleasure of that temptation. The next step is stopping, standing, as Eve before the tree about to pluck the fruit, admiring the object of temptation, gazing, being hypnotized by it's beauty and seductiveness. Then we find ourselves getting comfortable, sitting, actually participating in the sin. Like Lot, who was sitting with the elders of the city of Sodom, we are actually involved with and comfortable in our position of sin. Often, the greatest temptation we face will not be to some horrendous sin, but to some seeming insignificant compromise.
4. Combat the Insidious Ability of Sin to Conquer. Sin enslaves. Jesus said "he who continues to commit a sin is a slave to sin..." Sin is ever progressive in its depravity, in its ability to destroy, and in its power to conquer. Sin progresses from being subtle temptor to merciless captor. With each urge gratified, with each temptation succumbed to, another brick is laid on the prison cell that will enslave you.
As you face these 4 challenges, and win, you will have a spirtual, fruitful, year for Him. That is my prayer for you. God bless your 2007
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