"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." PROVERBS 27:1 NKJV
We Are Not Promised Tomorrow.
A lot of us may know that and have cute little signs with some version of this on our walls, but when was the last time you really stopped and thought about what that means?
We are not promised tomorrow. In fact, we are not even promised the next hour, or five minutes. All we have is the exact moment we are in at any one point.
If you’ve ever had an experience that reminded you of this, you know what I mean. Maybe you were in a car accident, a bad storm, or had a family member get a bad diagnosis. It can be completely terrifying.
There are often points in these situations when we don’t really know what will happen. We don’t really know how it is going to end or, sometimes, if it will end in life or death.
It’s scary. It’s emotional and you better believe that Satan will use every one of his tactics in these situations to try and distract us from God’s purpose and power.
But even when every worst possible scenarios are running through our minds, we have to keep speaking out loud the promises that God gives us.
"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." ISAIAH 41:10 NKJV
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." II Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV
"Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus." PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7 NKJV
"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" ROMANS 8:31 NKJV
And even after the storm or the accident is over, these thoughts can keep running through our minds.
We aren’t promised tomorrow. These or thousands of other scenarios could happen any given day at any time that would be the end of our time on earth.
It really gives you a new perspective on life.
See, we say these things and we know that anything could happen to any of us at any moment, but do we really live like that is true?
Unfortunately, I don’t think most of us do.
Why?
Because we let fear stop us from doing a lot of things that we want to do.
Or, we wait way too long to forgive those who have wronged us.
Or, we get caught up on things that, at the end of the day, just don’t really matter.
So what lessons can we take from this?
Time is Precious
In case you haven’t experienced an event in your life that helps you remember this: time is precious!
We never seem to have enough of it and it passes by way too quickly.
I never knew this to be more true than when I had kids. Every year suddenly seems to fly by faster than the one before and most of the time, I just want to grab these moments and hold on to them a little longer because it just goes way too fast and you can’t get them back.
What can we do about it?
Learn to let go of things that don’t matter.
Treasure the loved ones God gives you and hold them tight.
Put your time and energy into things that build the kingdom of God.
We only have a certain time here on earth, but if we accept Jesus as our Savior, we have an eternity to spend in heaven. Start spending your time accordingly.
If God’s Calling You to Something, He’s Calling You Today
This was something that really sunk in once I started working on this blog. I wanted it to be perfect. I was taking all the right business steps to launch a new business according to the world’s guidelines and it was taking forever!
But God didn’t call me to this blog “in a couple months” or “in a few years when my kids were older and life was a little slower.” He called me now.
Now, when I feel like I barely have any extra time to do anything.
Now, when I feel like our family already has a million obligations and I’m not even sure I’m doing any of those well.
Now, when I really don’t know if I can add even one more thing to my plate, mentally, physically, or emotionally.
Unless God tells you to wait on Him, He’s calling you, now. He knows what you’re up against. He knows your daily routine, your hectic schedule, your rat race.
He knows how defeated you already feel at the end of the day when you didn’t get xyz done.
He knows, and He calls you anyway.
"The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." ISAIAH 58:11 NKJV
I’ve said it time and time again, if He brings you to it, He will bring you through it.
Oftentimes, God will challenge you when you feel like you can’t do any more. Why? Because then you know it’s not by your strength alone. You NEED Him. You NEED His strength and perseverance. You NEED His guidance. And you’re much more willing to take it when you’ve got nothing to give yourself.
[To read more about How to Live Out Your Calling When You Have No Extra Time, click HERE!]
So What Would You Do If You Knew Today Was Your Last Day?
I know, it sounds morbid to think like this all of the time, but honestly ask yourself this question.
If today were the last day of your life, how would you spend it?
Or even, if you knew you had 6 months to live, what would you do with your life?
If you only had the next year to make your impact for Jesus, what would you do with that year?
The point is: Don’t wait! Start doing those things right now.
Stop letting fear control you. Stop letting opinions that don’t matter dictate how you move forward. Stop shying away from the things God has called you to because of the thousands of excuses you’ve already used.
START NOW.
Don’t know how?…Ask! God is ready and willing to talk to you every second of every day and give you wisdom when you ask for it. Quiet your own agenda and spend some time listening to His.
Read His roadmap (the Bible, if you didn’t catch that).
"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." MATTHEW 7:7 NKJV
