Creatively Remaking Life
The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. (Proverbs 5:14)
Life, when done well, is a creative process. Life requires creativity because life is continually challenging. There are many overwhelming challenges; frustrations can define our lives. For many, the minute you wake up in the morning, you are cycling through the many activities and potential hardships you must address before going home and passing out. Therefore, it behooves us to seek meaningfully a new and more beneficial way of living.
Yet again, I turn to Thomas Oppong for assistance. In his article “The Real Work of Figuring Out How to Live,” Oppong asserts, “If you want to live a good or better life, you must figure out how. Living a meaningful life is a choice. No one can do it for you as much as they want to. It’s a personal responsibility. It’s also a work in progress.” Even our Lord, Jesus, took the first 30 years refining his mission before setting out to save the world. If Jesus’ life required intentionality, how much more will our life necessitate ongoing consideration?
We cannot live a meaningful, faithful life in neutral. “This means that if we want a better life and change our circumstances, the only way forward is by changing the way we think or perceive them.” At the moment, it sounds like too much work when my life is always stressed out. Yes, it is more work in the short term, but over time your life will feel more meaningful, which is energizing. So Oppong is calling us to strive to figure out a better life path.
I love Albert Einstein’s quote, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Living life reactively leaves us responding to everything and everyone else instead of taking control of our life. So today, prepare for God’s miracles in your life. Creatively strive to make space for God to influence your world in remarkable ways. Pray for God’s wisdom, providing you with the best opportunities within the life you have already carved out for yourself. When you do, your life will open up, time will slow down, and you will have time to recognize the miraculous.