Don't Let Life Get In The Way Of Living

We have allowed life to become so complicated. Our 24 hour days seem to have 29 hour schedules. Almost as if the more we do, the more we have and the busier we are the happier we will be. As Christians we can have a larger life through Jesus. An abundant live, one that is filled with victory. When broken down by biblical truth, life can be more fulfilling and not so full of stuff. So, how do we keep life from getting in the way of truly living?

Simplify. We have so many choices in EVERY aspect of life. No wonder it is easy to become lost and confused. Days full of option after option can literally take our breath away. Next, be aware of self-inflicted wounds. Recognize the weapons of the enemy: vices, social media, self-centered ambition, relationships not centered on God, money and our own mouths! In His infinite wisdom, God gives limitations because He understands our limits better than we do. In his first letter to the church in Corinth (10:13), the Apostle Paul talks about these temptations that can lead to self-inflicted wounds. In this often misused and mis-quoted passage, Paul tells us that Jesus always provides a way for us to escape these temptations. The choice is ours.

And lastly, we need to remind ourselves that stuff is just stuff. All too often we measure our lives by the things we have. In the Book of Luke (12:33), Jesus compares earthly treasures to spiritual treasures. I encourage you to ask yourself this question, Are you living for the moment or are you living in the moment? Living for the moment is the worldly view where our happiness depends on the event itself (Facebook photos: vacation, weddings, family gatherings). Where living in the moment is Christlike where our joy, already secured, does not depend on the success or failure of a particular event.

In reading God's Word, it is a great opportunity to reflect on what true abundance can look like. This Christmas, give yourself the most incredible gift: a more abundant life through Jesus.

See you in church tomorrow...

Pastor Aaron