Living the Mission

What really matters? I don’t know about you, but there have been seasons in my life that were filled with challenges both personally and professionally. Everything seemed to be difficult, even the simplest of tasks took more time and effort than usual. Many weeks end with unfinished or pending work. In seasons like these, most of us are trained to pause and prioritize our efforts to ensure our strategy will produce the greatest value. While prioritization does help, many days still fall short of making us feel accomplished. Stephen R. Covey once said, “The things that matter most should never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.” (Covey, 1994) This quote really got me thinking about what in my life was out of balance. For those of us that have experienced the loss of a family member from a terminal disease, you typically notice a change in mindset of the loved one when approaching the end of life. Their interest in money, cars, vacation homes, and other possessions seem to fade. Their focus tends to shift from assets to people they love. This is a good example and reminder about what God says matters most. I Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT) says, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.” This passage makes it clear that we are just noise and not gaining anything in life unless we love others. While opportunities to love and serve others are available year-round, we are often distracted and miss these opportunities. Busy schedules, travel, unexpected challenges are just a few obstacles that can drain our energy and make it difficult to focus on what matters the most. It is also true that certain seasons like holidays, anniversaries, birthdays don’t always bring happy emotions. These times can bring a host of negative emotions for people still struggling. The heaviness of life doesn’t just stop when the calendar indicates that it is time to celebrate. Sometimes refocusing on what really matters starts with reminding ourselves that we are loved. In I John 4:16 (NLT), it says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” God is the foundation of love and the perfect example we should all follow. Each one of us is loved by our Creator, regardless of what we have done or the choices we have made in life. The opportunity to draw close to God and embrace hope is available to us all. Challenge: Don’t miss the opportunity to reset and focus on what matters most. Love others like God loves us. No matter the number of tasks, the heaviness of the emotion or difficulty that comes our way, God has a plan for each of us and will be our rock to get us through. Remaining focused on what really matters will help us tap into the endless love and security that only our Creator can provide.