Purposeful Moments

Countless idioms are used as analogies for life—a box of chocolates, a bowl of cherries, a mountain, an ocean! Personally, I love the anonymous quotes that compare life to a book:

Life is like a thousand-page book. You want to quit halfway through, but then you realize you have a lot left to look forward to.

Life is like a book. Some chapters are sad and some are exciting, but if you never turn the page, you will never know what the next chapter has in store for you.

Our lives are “books” with “chapters” and “pages”; however, realizing that our lives are made up of moments is an exciting revelation for our future. Living within each moment gives purpose to the most mundane event, whether good or bad, happy or sad. In fact, the challenging moments often have the most impact, because they develop our character and prepare us to reach our individual destinies. It’s not enough to just live those moments; we need to embrace them!

Moments to Remember

There are all kinds of moments in life, but three special ones deserve attention here:

1. Our Moments with God

I remember a moment “in the eye of the storm” when God taught me that storms are not just about the enemy attempting to cause pain, disruption, rejection, or hopelessness. Storms are more about God wanting our attention. In a moment of transparency I need to share that I am walking through a stormy chapter in my life right now. I share this only to let you know that out of pain and suffering there can be purpose, teaching, and learning all at the same time. Joy and sadness can share the same moment, because they walk along the same path. Most importantly, hope need not be lost during the rough chapters of life. If we trust God in those moments, hope will remain.

Personalizing Scripture helps me claim God’s truth. Psalms 62:8 says: “Trust in Him at all times, you people [Peggy]; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is your refuge” (NIV). Psalms 56:3-4 says: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (NIV). Our daily, dedicated moments of prayer and our commitment to “pray continually” open the door to God’s voice of guidance, love, and encouragement.

2. Our Moments of Focus

Along the journey, Satan often uses our present challenges and circumstances to cause diversions or distractions from God’s plan for our lives. Whether relational, financial, physical, or emotional, distractions can deplete our joy, energy, hope, and most importantly, our focus. Philippians 4:8 helps us to refocus: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (NIV).

Whether our emotions are positive or negative is our choice, so let’s choose the positive! Being in God’s Word is a “have to” for our lives; it feeds our spirit man and cultivates a thankful heart. In my eye-of-the-storm moment, God revealed to me that no matter the circumstance…the benefits, blessings, and good things in our lives far outweigh the negative. Praise and thank God for all things, even the trials and struggles, for we grow and mature in them. Let’s choose to be better, not bitter!

3. Our Moments of “Now What?”

There was a moment in which God revealed to me that when the enemy comes in like a flood, we often throw up our hands and shout, “Why! Why, Lord!” Ever so lovingly, the Father told me not to ask Him why but rather to ask Him, “Now what?”

The “now what” response opens our spirits to listen to the Father’s voice as He guides us through the fiery chapters of our lives. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV). Once God helps us to regain our focus, the “now what” propels us forward. We use what we’ve learned and what God speaks during the trial as a springboard to our future and our destiny.

Through these life moments we see the reality of Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (KJV). We become formed and fashioned into the vessels God desires us to be, and we move closer to our divinely-ordained destinies!