Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 25, 2016
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Ecclesiastes 1:2
Midlife is a natural time to do a life audit. This is the season to do a performance review of your passion and your life’s productivity. You measure how well you have amassed money and acquired assets. You grade the success of your life on your position in the work place, your educational advancement, your character development, and the quality of your relationships, especially those in your family. Midlife is a time for reflection, regrouping, and recalibrating big goals. If, by God’s grace, you have implemented His plan up until now, you look forward to what He has for you during the second half of life. But a midlife crisis comes from meaningless living. You may have drifted from what God intended for you from your youth. You scoffed at His plan and purpose and replaced it with your own.
Go back to your original God-given purpose and redirect the midlife crisis missile to keep it from crashing into your home. Revisit your God-given purpose for living. A proper purpose precludes meaningless living. Yet, every day, men and some women meander into a midlife crisis. They think it is a release from responsibility, but midlife is meant to be a time of terrific transition, not terrible torture. It is created for celebration, not regret. Midlife is meaningful if rooted in the purpose of God and a future hope in Him. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Maybe you lived the first half of your life off purpose, but you were successful by the world’s standards. You may have more wealth than you ever dreamed of, but your spouse and children do not really know you. You are relationally poor. Or maybe you have been a good Christian, but you always seem to encounter bad things. Christianity feels like a farce; it is not what was promised to you when you started out in gleeful obedience. The hardness and insensitivity of some Christians is confusing. You are ready to toss it all out the window and start over with convenient obedience and lukewarm faith. But now is not the time to bail on Divine Providence. Yes, you may be tired and even sick, but stick with your Savior.
Life will be meaningful if you travel with your Master. He may seem hard at times and distant, but He is not without meaning. Your real midlife meaning needs to come from Him, so surrender, and you will see success as God defines success. If adventure is what you crave, then pray. And if the Holy Spirit gives you the green light, then take your spouse overseas and serve the poor. Now, that’s adventure. Meaning comes from selfless living. A midlife crisis comes from selfish living. So run toward God and your family, not away from them. Make midlife your best season of life yet. Live it well driven by your God-given purpose and your future hope.
Allow your midlife crisis to draw you close to Christ. Moreover, enthusiastically embrace eternity and enjoy a midlife celebration. Meaningful! Meaningful! Life with the Lord is meaningful!
Prayer
Heavenly Father, protect me from myself, especially when I’m tempted by foolishness.Post/Tweet today
Midlife is meaningful if rooted in the purpose of God and a future hope in Him. #WisdomHunters #midlifecrisisWorship Resource
5 minutes – Gaither Vocal Band: Where No One Stands Alone Today’s reading is taken from Boyd’s most popular book: Seeking Daily the Heart of God, a 365 day devotional. Check out Boyd’s newest devotional book Two Minutes in the Bible for Men. Order now! If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider giving now to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision. Learn how to help. Our free Apple app Our free Android app
