I’ve been having very heavy and vivid dreams lately. I’ve always had vivid dreams (seriously ask some of my friends and family about the vivid and weird dreams I’ve had, they’re crazy) but this one left me feeling very heavy when I woke up.
I don’t fully recall what all was happening in the dream but what I do remember is that someone was upset about changes coming to friendships and the future and they were just very tearful. And I just looked at her crying and I said, “We can’t worry about the future. What’s coming will come, all we can do is live in the right now and enjoy it.”
This isn’t profound, I know that. We hear it all the time. But something happened last weekend that seemed to really shock the world. A helicopter crash that killed at basketball legend, his daughter, a baseball coach, his wife, and their daughter, another mother and daughter, a wife, and the pilot.
A freak accident that took lives and brought the world to a collective gasp.
I think the shock came because we’re so used to thinking that life goes on forever, that this is it and we have plenty of time. But in reality, we don’t. Life is but a blur, a mist that is here one second and gone the next. And with the news of that crash, we all came to realize how fragile it all is. That it could all be gone without explanation in the blink of an eye.
So how do we live like that?
We act a little kinder, we love a little harder, and we remind ourselves daily that the things of this world don’t really matter in light of eternity.
Ultimately I think this tragedy should wake us up to the reality of eternity. We don’t have forever here, but we do have forever in one of two places: Heaven or Hell. And I know this is a heavy subject, I know things like this can scare the you know what out of people. Goodness, it still gets me sometimes! But it’s true and real and I urge you to figure out what that means for you. And I hope and pray that you bow your knee to King Jesus and give him all the glory! That you repent of your sins and live your life not for your own glory but for His!
This life is short but what we do matters. As believers, we should be sharing the good news with any and all we meet. And on top of that, we need to be the opposite of what the world sees us as. Too often they see Christians as judgmental, arrogant, “holier than thou”, condemning, gossipers, and just all around jerks sometimes.
So I don’t know about you, but I think we can do better. Myself at the top of the list.
When we see or hear judgment happening, we stop it where it is. Lovingly call it out and squash it, because judgmental is not what we should be. When you’re seeing a fellow believer walking around with their nose stuck up acting like they’re better than everyone else, remind them that while we may be better at some things than others, we shouldn’t pride ourselves on that. We should remain humble and give the glory to God, because that’s where our talents and gifts come from.
When we see people condemning others, kindly remind them that condemnation is not our job. Our job is to love one another, for no other reason than because God has called us to.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
Do you see that verse? How are people to know that we’re truly Christians and believers if we don’t show love?!
If we don’t show love, then we’re no better than the people we judge or gossip about. If we don’t show love, how will anyone know the love of Christ?
All this to say: no, we really shouldn’t worry about the future. What’s coming will come and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. But we can and should care about what’s happening now, in our personal lives and those around us. Are we being kind? Are we loving others? Are we changing the way the world sees Christ and His church? We should be.
And I hope that whatever comes your way, you’ll find your hope and faith in Him. In joy or sorrow, triumph or tragedy, laughter or weeping, all of this is for Him and His glory.
And if you haven’t bowed your knee to Jesus, I hope and pray that you will soon. I hope and pray that you’re surrounded by love and peace that only comes from Him.
He is our comfort.
He is our peace.
He is our hope.
He is our greatest and truest love.
Jesus is better.
Beauty in the Ashes 