You Only Get ONE Life.
Recently, I have been reflecting on the brevity of life. I’ve always known that we only get one life, but as of late, that thought has been haunting me. Our days are not guaranteed and at any moment, our lives can be taken away.
I do not write this to only focus on the briefness of life, but rather, I say these things to both challenge and encourage one another to reflect on the one life that we have been given. Someday when I pass away, whether that is in 70 years or as early as tomorrow, others can look at my life and say, “Eric lived a life that mattered.” My hope is that the goal of your life is to make your life count, too.
Below I have written a few things that I want my life to be known for:
- I want to live a life that isn’t my own. My life used to be filled with emptiness, discontentment, and futility. God REDEEMED that empty way of life through Jesus and now, I have purpose, fulfillment, and hope. I am Christ’s now- and I want Him to live through me.
- I want my wife, Paula, to say that her dream of being married was fulfilled. I want her to say that she feels loved, cared for, accepted, and always taken care of.
- I want my kids to someday say that their father was an exact replica of God, The TRUE Father.
- I want to live a life that isn’t obsessed with pleasing people, but is consumed with pleasing God.
- I want to love and forgive others because I am loved and forgiven at The Cross.
- I want to live a life that doesn’t settle for “The American Dream” but rather, is content with God and Him alone.
- And finally, I want to stand in the presence of Christ and after a life of serving Him and making Him known, He would utter the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant…” (Matthew 25:23).
This is what I want my life to look like. A life that matters. A life that counts. A life not wasted. A life that can claim Paul’s words as my own: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24).
We only get ONE life. What will yours look like?
ConsumedbyGrace 
August 12, 2011 at 12:53 pm
Eric, as I read this, I’m glad you are at this place at such a young age. I wanted all the things you mentioned and hopefully I attained some, and still working to improve. I am so happy that I was introduced to our God at an early age and never felt alone, no matter what. I was so happy throughout my 74 years to know that I never walked alone or faced the mountains that I needed to climb, without the spiritual guidance I received. The one thing I want to add to all of the above, I wanted to be the daughter my parents would be proud of, never hurting them in any way, I love the commandment, “Honor thy Father and Mother”.. I wanted to be the wife that followed her vows “for better or worse”, hopefully I will have more time to live them, I wanted to be the best Mom I could be, never doing anything to hurt my children, grandchildren and great-grandchidren, never letting them down, and so they always knew I love them more than life itself. I have learned that material things doesn’t matter, but the love you give and receive from family is one of the greatest gifts anyone can receive. But above all, the love and guidance from knowing Jesus and trusting him is by far the ultimate gift.
So happy and proud of you for what you’re doing with the youth, and especially of the man you have become.
August 14, 2011 at 12:01 am
Ahhhhh….that is sweet.
great thoughts, my friend.