Greetings in Christ,
If someone came up with a rating scale for you to assess your life here on earth, how would you rate your life? Now take in mind your rating would run 1-10 with 1 being the lowest score to 10 being the highest score. The catch is you had to give an answer for all the ratings you apply to justify your rating. How would you rate your life here on earth?
We would have ratings which would go across the scale from the lowest to the highest, and it would depend on the questions being asked. If the questions were based on your idea of what you thought your life was like compared to other people, would you consider your life to be worse or better? Now to be fair in this question you might need to know who you are comparing your life against so you could rate your life. Would you rate your life better if you were comparing it to someone who lived in a third world area? Would you rate your life worse if you were comparing it to someone who lived here in the USA who was independently wealthy?
We struggle with the idea we could have our life better here on earth, and it is in the process of thinking we have it bad we would rate our lives according to others who live in the world. We get caught up the idea that other people have it better than us, or they have it worse than us and it is this analysis we lose sight of where our real focus should be.
In writing this I have a confession along the lines of rating my life. I filled up my truck today and I was fretting the gas prices we must pay for the gasoline we put into our vehicles. I was feeling like it is a hard hit to the wallet and another financial burden we already endure with the shortage of items in the stores due to the Covid 19 pandemic dilemma. I was cringing as the dollar amount rolled over faster than the gallons of fuel going into the gas tank.
I begin to realize there was someone else out there who was dreaming my life wishing they had a vehicle to be driving and to be filling up with gasoline. I began to think this life here on earth is temporary and if I am a child of God, God will provide for me. I needed to trust God had my back and would not leave me stranded. I my not have as much money to buy other things, but I do not need many other things.
Paul writes to the Philippians telling them to rejoice in all things no matter the circumstances and to be in constant prayer for everything. He goes on to tell them to be on their best behavior doing whatever is true and right, pure and honorable, and to dwell on the good things worthy of praise. When they do these things the peace of God will dwell with them.
I fell short in my rating of my life because I was asking myself the wrong questions. I was comparing myself to those who looked like they were problem free, but my focus should have been on God and the blessings He has given me. My rating would have been different if I was more focused on the good things in my life instead of the problems, I would have been praising instead of complaining.
How often do we let the little things in our lives determine our outlook? God is much bigger than anything we undergo, and He is definitely worthy of the praise for what He has done for us even when it seems we are on the short end of the stick in life. Take time to rate your life and count the blessings you have received from God, and then take time to praise Him for them.
“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted away from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow and my years with sighing; my strength has failed because of my iniquity, and my body has wasted away. Because of all my adversaries, I have become a reproach, especially to my neighbors, and an object of dread to my acquaintances; those who see me in the street flee from me. I am forgotten as a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. For I have heard the slander of many, terror is on every side; while they took counsel together against me, they schemed to take away my life. But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me. Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; save me in Your lovingkindness.” Psalm 31:9-16
Lord may we give You the praise for all You have blessings You have given us and let them be our focus so our hope remains strong in You. Amen
Blessings,