Walking The Narrow Path- Live For Today, Plan For Tomorrow
Whenever we hear about the death of a loved one, so many different emotions come up in us—shock, among many of them. When we face death, one of the healthiest things we can do is re-evaluate our own lives. What would happen if my time were up all of a sudden? Do I know where I would spend my eternity? Because no matter what you believe, death is forever. If you don’t believe in an afterlife, your non-existence is permanent forever. Negative situations often motivate us to take action.
Even if you consider yourself “spiritual”, you are betting your forever on the whimsical notion that somehow, it will all work out. And if you think you are “good enough” to earn your way to heaven, then once again, you are betting your forever on the hope that you are good enough. If you believe in reincarnation, why? If you prayed the “Sinner’s Prayer” at church or a Christian gathering, and then lived apart from a vibrant relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ, you are betting your forever on the hope that the sinner’s prayer you prayed earned you a “get out of hell” free card. Dear readers, no matter what your experience or beliefs, death is permanent, forever. So knowing this, how do we live in light of our certain death? Jesus has the answer when He says we should be “as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16).
Desperation is one form of “external motivation.” The problem with changing through desperation is that as soon as we get back into our comfort zone, we tend to relax. Then we are vulnerable to slip back into desperate mode, and the cycle continues. What we need is internal motivation, better known as inspiration. Inspiration comes from an internal source. Inspiration happens when a fire is ignited inside us. Inspiration is created by a vision so powerful and meaningful that it cannot easily be extinguished. Inspiration creates a burning desire so hot and so compelling that we put our entire mind, will and emotion into making the vision a reality. Inspiration happens when the lights finally go on.
Part of being shrewd is planning for the future. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I believe what He did saves our souls, but we have to take action to accept His gift. After we become believers, our position in Christ is secure, but what we do or don’t do affects our conditions. This is why I wrote the “10 Spiritual Principles For Extraordinary Performance In Life & Business.” There are principles we can execute to help us build a stronger relationship with God and improve our condition.
At one time, I was terribly unhealthy. You might say I was the proverbial “walking skeleton.” I ate the wrong things at the wrong times, and I didn’t exercise. I was underweight, lethargic, and had awful headaches, that caused excruciating pain from the top of my head to the hip of my toes. The headaches would make me so sick I could barely walk or talk. One of these episodes happened when I had to take a work trip to a different state for a pharmaceutical industry project I was working on at the time. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. After being unhealthy, I got super fit. I maintained my super healthy lifestyle for about 3 years. Then something happened. I stopped doing some of the things that made me healthy. I began to slip back into some of my old habits. The result is that it made me unfit again. Fortunately, I am still healthy and I don’t get migraines or inflammation bumps any longer, and I am working towards being super fit like I was before. I saw a survey this morning about the physical and mental advantages of walking at least 7,000 steps a day. It affects every aspect of who you are in ways that no pharmaceutical drug can match, and it gives you a 50% to 75% chance of a healthier, longer life.
To everyone looking in from the outside, you can easily see how alcoholics, smokers or drug addicts could turn their lives around. Stop drinking. Stop smoking. Stop doing drugs. But it isn’t that easy. We are addicted to our habits regardless of how destructive they are. We are emotionally tied to them, and our culture doesn’t make it easy to change. Just like alcoholics, smokers, or drug addicts, we need a recovery program. The solution I have created for most people isn’t easy. It isn’t easy for them. It’s easy for addicts to fall back into their old ways. The lack of execution is an addiction just like anything else. I have created some easy procedures for addicts, and the good news is that they did execute the solutions and as a result, it saved them from whatever situation they were facing. The truth will set you free. Once the lights go on and you see the truth—that you can reach your fondest dreams and goals in life, you’ll be inspired to execute.
Part of being shrewd is to trust the Lord for the future and not be obsessed with what you have no control over. After all, Jesus says, “Don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34). We are shrewd enough to plan for tomorrow, but our focus must be on living today. Today is the only time you can praise God and pray, “Let Your Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done On Earth, As It Is In Heaven.” You can’t praise God yesterday, because yesterday has come and gone. You can’t praise God for tomorrow because tomorrow has not yet come. Today is when you walk with God. Today we praise Him. Today is when you develop healthier relationships. Today is when we enjoy family and friends. Today, we seek first “The Kingdom” and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33)- food, clothing, and shelter.
Let’s understand that our behavior is simply a result of our beliefs. Discovering what’s underneath the surface is a worthy, lifelong endeavor, and seeing false beliefs changed is exciting indeed! So, let’s live for today, enjoy the work and relaxation and relationships we have today, but always live with an eye to the future because the future is coming and it is permanent. In my book, “10 Spiritual Principles For Extraordinary Performance For Life & Business”, I call this, “living with the end in mind.”
And here’s the thing about life. It’s never too late to start. You may not be able to reverse the effects of your previous life, health, marriage, or financial decisions, but today you can focus on today. Today, you can build habits that will carry you into the future. Today you can walk, even if you use a walker or a cane. Today you can make better financial decisions. Today you can develop relationships with mentors that will catapult you into your destiny by showing you the way.
Sometimes we need help and guidance and someone pointing the way. A different direction. For more help on how to reach your goals and dreams, please schedule a 1-on-1 consultation with me here. And if you are a follower of Christ, today you can enjoy the presence of your true brothers and sisters, siblings- not necessarily from your family of origin but those with whom you share the same faith and have been adopted into the same family whose father is God. You can get my latest book “10 Spiritual Principles To Extraordinary Performance In Life & Business” here.
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)
**Erica weaves themes of transformative hope and grace-filled leadership into everything she shares on her blog. She’s an author, a speaker, and a life coach, who offers honest encouragement and road-tested wisdom about topics ranging from leadership and lifestyle, to discovering your God-crafted identity, design, and purpose.
This post is sponsored by: https://hype.co/@ericakenechi