Loving the Life You’ve Been Given

There’s so much in this statement that reflects how we are to live as believers in and followers of Jesus Christ. Circumstances should not dictate how we feel or how we make decisions. We have a firm foundation to stand on and a spirit to guide us from within.  God, our creator, wants us to love the life we’ve been given. We have everything we need to do it.

Let’s unpack this statement, starting from the end:

“You’ve been given”  

God doesn’t make mistakes. There is a reason you were created. He has given you the gift of life at this time in history, in this place, for His purposes.  You are exactly as He designed you to be. You have special talents and gifts to be used to help others.  He knows everything about you – your past, present and future. And He is always with you and there for you.

God’s given you free will. You get to choose. He’ll never push anything on you. God may nudge you to get you moving. He may allow your circumstances to force you to make a decision, but the choice will always be yours.

A gift always says more about the giver, than the receiver.  A gift is given out of love with the receiver in mind. God is full of love, and He gives you His unending grace and undeserved mercy because He knows you will need it.  He’s the real gift you’ve been given.

Truth: Job 33:4, Acts 2:28, Hebrews 4:16,      2 Timothy 1:9

Clarity: Your life is a gift from God.  Wisdom: Choose to make decisions that align your will to His.

Inspiration:  Perfect People by Natalie Grant

“The Life”  

God is precise in everything He does. He decided when you would be born and when you will die.  It is the exact amount of time needed to do the work He’s called you to do. And when that work is done, you’ll be done. He'll will call you home. No one likes to think about it, let alone, talk about it, but it is a reality each of us will face.

How then should you use your time? When you accepted Christ as your savior, His spirit began working within you to make you more Christ-like. He is aligning you to His will and to His plan for you. It’s a process. It takes time and constant surrender. The sooner you give up your say and give in to His way, the longer you’ll have to live the life He has planned for you.

Truth: Psalm 39:4, Proverbs 21:21, Psalm 89:47, Psalm 119:37

Clarity: You have a defined period of time on this earth to do God’s work. Wisdom: Make your time count for the right things.

Inspiration: Lifesong by Casting Crowns

“Loving”  

God is a loving God. He always gives you what’s best for you. He always forgives you – no matter what you do. He wants to carry your burdens because He cares for you. He is always for you, never against you. And what He does for you, He wants you to do for others.

Easier said than done, but God never said it would be easy. In fact, He knew it would be hard, because He knows us. We are selfish and self-centered human beings. We compare. We judge. We divide. We act like we have it all together, but we don’t.

God is so patient with us. We’re constantly searching for things that will make us feel significant and valued. And the reality is, we already have what we’re searching for— the love of God. Our significance and value, comes from who we are in Him.

When we allow God to work in our lives, He’ll show us how to:

• Love Him completely
• Love ourselves correctly
• Love others compassionately

If we don’t love ourselves correctly, we can’t love others compassionately. God knows this. So, He wants to teach us how to love ourselves correctly, by loving Him completely. No one on this earth knows how to do this. We are all a work in progress.

Truth: Luke 10:27, John 15:13, 1 Peter 4:8, Leviticus 19:18

Clarity: I need to love others as God loves me.  Wisdom:  Choose to show love to everyone, particularly when it’s hard.

Inspiration: Evidence by Citizen’s Way

I chose “Loving the Life You’ve Been Given” as the tagline for my website, ClarityandWisdom.com because it’s a constant reminder and needed encouragement of how to live my life.

I hope it is for you too!