“Your life is unique and unrepeatable, waiting to be embraced and received as a gift from God.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – August 12, 2023
Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 1 Corinthians 7:17, ESV
We have a cultural obsession with the lives of other people. Entire industries exist to snoop in the private affairs of others, and then exploit and publish those details for the entertainment of the masses. Whether it’s a star athlete, famous actor, or member of the royal family, we observe and often long for the lives of influence and affluence that these women and men embody.
For most of us, this desire is pure fantasy, unobtainable in every way. However, that does not mean that you and I are immune from the desire to have what others have, or to live the life of someone else! In truth, this desire can be most pressing and prevalent when it is only slightly different than the life we actually lead. If you are experiencing an unwanted and unwelcome season of extended singleness, the otherwise ordinary and even “mundane” family life of your friends can be a deep source of envy and longing for the life of another. Similar temptations abound when we look a bit too closely at the lives of our neighbors, closely analyzing their success, favor at work, discretionary time, or any number of related scenarios.
Into this confusion, St. Paul’s timeless words in 1 Corinthians invite us back to reality: live the life that the Lord has assigned you to live. In fact, it is the only life you can live! Your life is unique and unrepeatable, waiting to be embraced and received as a gift from God. And if you and I spend the short time we’ve been given constantly longing for someone, something, or somewhere else, we will miss the opportunity that is right in front of us!
Though the love and mercy of God is infinite, you and I live very finite and limited lives. In truth, there are a handful of people and places that God has specifically placed in our path, inviting us to go deep with them and to celebrate the life we have, rather than long for an illusion. Resolve afresh to embrace the life God has assigned to you, and believe it is in every way, for your good and the exact life that you are meant to have, for God does not make mistakes and is the giver of every good gift (James 1:17).
Prayer
Father, help us to celebrate the life we have, and not lose ourselves in the fantasy of other’s stories or longings that only leave us discontent and unsettled, we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
What part of your story can you celebrate today with fresh eyes and a renewed heart?
Related Reading
Habakkuk 3:17–19; 1 Timothy 6:6–10; Hebrews 13:5
Worship Resource
Audrey Assad: I Shall Not Want
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