I am journeying on an earthly
timeline. My timeline has intersected
the timelines of countless individuals as I travel through life. The longer I live, the more people crisscross
my personal timeline. A short life, used
by God for His purpose, can affect many more lives than an older person who for
one reason or another has been isolated.
Long or short, each of our lives affects someone else’s life.
I loved the book, “The Five
People you Meet in Heaven”. Mitch
Albom’s character, Eddie, realizes the unseen connections of his earthly life
when he dies and arrives in heaven. On
earth he felt as if he was living a meaningless life. In heaven he could look back and see how his
life’s path was changed and redirected by the encounters he had with five
people. Eddie could not see the
significance of the timelines of the five people who intersected his own
earthly timeline until the meaning of these connections was made clear in
eternity.
Sometimes we are able to see
the way we have affected the lives of others or see how a word or action from
another has changed our own life’s direction; for better or for worse. As I look back, I can think of specific
people, specific situations, specific times, and specific words which have impacted
my life’s direction. The input of a
high school guidance counselor, a nurse, and a pastor along my way helped lead
me in the direction of the nursing profession which I love; a profession in
which I was able to be used by God in the lives of many. Sometimes seeds are sown or paths are intersected
leaving no awareness of how a life has been touched, changed, or redirected.
God has a plan for my
life. God has given me family, friends,
acquaintances, and chance meeting individuals.
I have been touched by and have touched each of them. Some intersections are insignificant while
others impact our lives. One life becomes
a little bit of the other.
Faith is a gift. With this gift comes responsibility. I am responsible for how I live my life, how
I treat others, and for the choices I make.
I cannot change others. I can
only change myself, change how I react in a given situation, or change how I
react in response to others. Our choices
develop our character and our character, which we are, leads us into our
destiny and can touch the destiny of those put in our path by God.
I have chosen to believe. I have chosen to follow Christ. He is my Savior. I will continue seeking a closer walk with God
and letting the Holy Spirit grow my spirit to be more like Christ. My spirit and faith grow as I seek a deeper
walk and as He gives me the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The fruits of the Holy Spirit will manifest
themselves in my spirit. They are: “love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and
self-control” (Galatians 5:22 and 25) “If we live in the Spirit, let us walk in
the Spirit”. Christ wants us to be a
reflection of His Spirit. He wants His
Spirit and His gifts to shine through us.
He wants our spirits, our lives, and our timelines, to intersect with
others making a positive difference in their lives. He wants us to be His eyes, ears, hands,
feet, and mouth. He will show us what
needs to be done or said. He gives us spiritual
discernment. We must boldly allow the
power of the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. I want to be God’s vessel. This cannot be accomplished by my own works
or abilities. I can be His vessel only
by His grace as I make myself available to be used. I do not seek personal praise for doing God’s
work. Christ saves us for good works,
not by good works. God will be glorified
in and through my life as I live my life for Him. I will
trust, obey, and shine for Him.
My faith, a gift from God, is
an action word. My faith increases as I
seek a closer and more intimate walk with God.
I hear His voice in my spirit and He has taught me to trust Him. As I trust Him I want to please Him by being
obedient. My actions and words do not
have to be understood by those “in the world”. I know that ultimately how I act, what I say,
and the choices I make must honor God.
My words and actions do not have to please others or myself in a
self-righteous way. I am “in
Christ”. My authority is in Christ and
in His word. I must speak and act with a
humble spirit.
I live in quiet
obedience. I am in constant communion
with my creator. My prayers are two way
conversations. Christ is my King but He
is also my friend. I am never
alone. He guides my actions and my
words. I am truly sorry when I fall
short of being obedient. I do not
always operate in the gifts of the spirit; I loose my patience, I fail to see
someone in the spirit of love, I loose control, or I say something which I
regret saying. We all sin and fall short
of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
Lord, I ask for your
forgiveness and your grace in my life. I
give you all of the glory for the path life has taken me over my 71 years. All things have and continue to work for good
because I love you and I am called according to your purpose (Romans 8:28). I ask that you make me aware of the needs of
others. Use me where you place me. Give me spiritual boldness as I let the Holy
Spirit lead me in Spirit and in Truth. I
expect that you will continue to work in and continue to direct my life. I live in anticipation of what you will be
doing in my life and how you will touch the lives of those who cross my path,
my timeline, today and each day until I leave this worldly existence for
eternity. Thank you. To God be the glory. Amen
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