How Do I Live?

God has created the heavens and the earth. He’s created me to live here, on this earth, with its trees and hills and rivers, mountains, and valleys. Why?

I’m not the first person to ask this question, and I won’t be the last. And I know there are countless answers. Some good, some not so good.

So, why are we here? My quick answer? The answer that speaks to me? For fellowship and unity with Him.

I could write for days and days about this. But today, my question is more about what do I do now that I’m here.

Yes, I praise the Lord, I worship Him, I love Him. But what does my day to day look like? How do I live on this earth?

Do I skirt through, saying He made it, but it’s all passing away, so keep my eyes on Jesus, doing only the minimum I have to in this world? Forsaking physical things as much as possible?

I don’t think so. He gave us all things for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17). So what do I do while I’m here? How do I live?

Do I embrace it all, seek out every pleasure I can find, search for every possibility? Go from one delight to the next?

It’s two extremes. I know there’s a balance.

Nature picture with Our living God provides us with everything to enjoy from 1 Timothy 6:17

First and foremost, I keep my eyes on Jesus. I keep my eyes on the prize. I fight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12).

Nature picture with Our living God provides us with everything to enjoy from 1 Timothy 6:17

But again, God grants us all things for our enjoyment. I think He wants me to enjoy them while I’m passing through.

And I wonder if He wants me to enjoy this world not for the sake of enjoyment, but for something more, something bigger.

His purposes are never shallow or singular, from my experience anyway.

Maybe He wants me to enjoy this world for the sake of fellowship with Him. I mean, He created it. He loves us, His creation. Maybe He likes this world a bit too. Maybe He wants to experience with us.

But I’ve held back. I’ve been afraid. And as I’ve been coming to this understanding of myself, I keep asking myself what I’m so afraid of.

I’m afraid of a misstep, a mistake. I’m afraid that I’ll go after something He doesn’t want for me, that I’ll take my eyes off Him for something temporal. That I’ll say, thanks Jesus, for all you’ve done, how You pulled me from the miry pit and cared for me and tended me. I’m going to go do this thing now.

I’m afraid that if I take pleasure, full pleasure in an experience, that somehow that means I’ve denied Him for that moment.

So I’ve kept myself in check. Stepping carefully, denying myself, denying this world. And I have no doubt that He took me through a season of incredible, intense self-denial. I have no regrets. I love Him and He has answered my heart’s cry through it all.

But as He brings me into a new season, I realize that maybe I added a little to the self-denial. Instead of saying nevertheless, not my will, but Yours be done, maybe I said I have no will. That was safer. I couldn’t make mistakes.

Where do I go from here? I do have a will, desires, a unique personality that He’s given me.

I’ve taken up my cross. I won’t put it down. And with it, I fellowship with Jesus. But to fully fellowship, I want to enjoy everything about Him, enjoy everything He enjoys. And He, I’m sure of it, enjoys this earth.

I’m not going to run out and embrace this world first, but I am going to embrace all I see on this path He’s leading me on. If it’s there, I don’t want to hold back. I don’t want to fear it. I want to honor Him, and fellowship with Him.

He created this earth for our pleasure. I want to enjoy every bit of it that He throws my way.

Follow and Like:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *