Do you ever slow down long enough to think about where you came from? I don’t do it as often as I should, but a comment a friend of mine made in conversation the other day forced my crazy feet to stop running and my brain to jar to a halt. He was saying that if He hadn’t come to know Christ, he would never have met many of the people in his life.
I’d never thought of it that way, and that drew me up short. Because I can’t imagine the last 15 or so years without this guy and his amazing family. What would my life have looked like without Christ? Where would I be if I hadn’t chosen to do things God’s way?
It would look a whole lot different than it does now, that’s for sure. And it would be full of different people. Probably different experiences but none of them satisfying or ultimately fulfilling. That’s the part the world leaves out when it talks about having fun and breaking rules when you’re young.
I just got to thinking about how often I just stop and thank God for what He’s done in my life, for the people He’s brought in my life, for the experiences and the adventures I’ve gotten to have.
Where were you 20 years ago? 10 years ago? 5 years ago? How many of us are living a completely different life now than we were then? How many of us have learned just how infinite God’s love is? And how often do we stop to wonder at the road He’s brought us down?
Stone steps on the grounds at Glen Eyrie, Colorado Springs, CO
Today’s verse is Psalm 37:23.
The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
I didn’t expect to be here 20 years ago. 20 years ago, I thought 20 years sounded like an eternity away. I thought 30 sounded ancient…. let alone 32.
I could never have known the amazing adventures I would have. I could never have prepared myself as a 10 year old child for the incredible things I would see, for the awesome people I would meet, for the truly miraculous experiences I would witness. You can’t plan for that when you’re 10. You can’t even really fully grasp the use of homework when you’re 10.
But God knew. He knew where I needed to be. He knew the people I needed to meet and the things I needed to experience to help me grow to be the person I am today. I didn’t understand it then, but now with so many years past, I can look back and see His hand all over my life.
What about you? Who do you have in your life right now who you wouldn’t have met if not for Christ? Have you ever stopped to consider what your life would have been like?
I don’t stop long enough to think about things like that, and I should because it makes me remember just how blessed I am. It makes me remember what I owe God. I owe Him everything because without Him I wouldn’t have hope, I wouldn’t have life, and I wouldn’t have love. And, beyond that, I wouldn’t be surrounded with so many amazing, uplifting, and encouraging people who I am so fortunate to call family.
Sometime today, take a moment and just stop. Let yourself think about what your life would look like without Christ. We all started in different places. Some started off bad. Others started off good. But I’d be willing to bet that if you’ve followed Christ for any length of time, you’re in a better place now than you were before.
Don’t take that for granted. Don’t let that pass without taking a moment to acknowledge it. It’ll change the way you see your life, your friends, your family because if God has a reason for everything He’s doing, if He really does direct our steps, then He knows what’s coming tomorrow. And that trouble and stress and heartache you’re facing today is just a stepping stone to something better tomorrow.
Always Peachy 