Every day we face decisions that range from a simple decision around a morning drink to life-altering choices. Even as I write this, many of you are considering decisions that will change the trajectory of your life for the next few days, weeks, months, and even years. We plan our days, set goals, and allow our decisions to cater to our passions and the life we desire to have here on Earth. We are captivated by what is tangible…our flesh…and forget what will last in eternity.
How’s your imagination? Mine is pretty vivid. If yours is not, then look at the line below. Take a moment to imagine that the line below is the timeline of your existence.
•-•————————————————>
The small line in the middle of the two dots on the left represents your life here on Earth. The line after that second dot that continues forever represents your eternity somewhere else. Now take a moment to reflect on all of the decisions you make that cater solely to that tiny little line between those two dots with little consideration for the magnitude of eternity. It may be easy to think that our decisions to take a particular job, buy a house, or marry a person have little to no effect on God’s Kingdom, but that’s precisely how crafty Satan is and how subtle his temptations are. As Christians, we know God’s word and, for the most part, can discern good choices over bad. Therefore, the decisions we make are often between better and best. Our job is to figure out the wisest of the two. So how can we do that?
Be Eternal-Minded:
Our flesh seeks our desires and justifies our carnal prayers by focusing on our life before us. As a result, our prayers start to sound like a laundry list of things such as:
“God, please give me good grades.”
“God, please give me this promotion.”
“God, please take away this sickness.”
There’s nothing wrong with inviting God into all of these areas of our lives but having an eternal mindset allows us to seek HIS will over ours. God, in His sovereignty, knows what is ultimately good for us. Therefore, he asks us to “..seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).
Instead, let your prayers be something like this:
“God, give me the wisdom to do well in school so that I may glorify you. Allow me to excel as a student so that I may shine your light and give me the desire to use my education for your Kingdom.”
Let your motivations, goals, and plans find their roots in eternity and God’s Kingdom. Then consider the consequences that your actions will have in Heaven.
Setting an eternal mindset and rooting our decisions in His Kingdom is the first and the hardest step. However, God provides us with two ways to help us continue seeking His will in making the wisest decision:
Be led by God’s Word: Find affirmation in scripture and not the words of the world. The author of the book of Hebrews tells us that “... the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) So no matter how many times you’ve read God’s word, He will use it to speak to you at the right moment with a fresh perspective.
Be wise by seeking wise counsel: Find mature Christian men and women leading a Godly life and know God’s Word. Their experience and counsel will give you wisdom. The enemy may not care that we’ve made a decision that honors God and brings us goodness as long as he can count on us to quit, go back to our old ways, and drift off our God-ordained path. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”
I pray that you would start this journey to be eternally minded, be led by God’s word, and be wise to seek counsel from other wise men & women. After all, our life here, as scripture says, is “…a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14), and it is eternity that we have to look forward to with God and His people.
Isha Zaitz
Promotions Director, Star 99.1
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Great word Isha!!
Thank you, Dominick! 🙂
I hear just what yousouls. God give me this, give me that, but in hundreds of conversations with “believers”, I don’t hear what they are doing for the Kingdom. We have fallen so to the world that our appetites have grown too large. God is Sovereign and not a Jeanie in a jar you command at your wishes. Christ Messiah gave me life and in this life I am to search out my purpose, and with this purpose is to hope it magnifies Christ and His Kingdom. Blessings to all who invites Christ into their hearts and souls.
Amen Barbara! Thank you so much for sharing!
That was what I needed on this day. You hit on every point we need to focus on Eternity. God has blessed me in abundance. I at one point of my life was going threw a very sad and horrible situation. I prayed for The Lord to help me and he was faithful and honored my prayer. We will go threw troubled times but knowing my Lord God is with me He will never leaves me nor forsakes me. He is my Rock and my strong tower. The lover of my soul. I can not wait for His return. Our home is not of this world our home is in Heaven where we will bow down to name of Jesus FOREVER AND EVER AMEN. Praise the Lord God Amen and Amen
Isn’t it amazing how God works? Thanks for sharing Leslie! I’m so encouraged. 🙂
Yes He is. His mercies are new every morning. You are very welcome. I am so blessed that I was an encouragement to you. Praise God.