“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'” James 4:13-15 (NIV)
God’s will is that you grow spiritually. The process of sanctification includes your obedience to God’s plan. As you submit to God’ will, your spiritual maturity continues to develop. One mark of spiritual maturity is the recognition of the sovereignty of God. Instead of presuming upon the grace of God and His plan, you acknowledge that God has the final say in what each day holds for you. His plans supersede your plans. God’s agenda becomes the priority of your life.
James reminds us of the brevity of life. Another mark of spiritual maturity is recognizing how fragile life is. In light of eternity, your life on planet earth is brief. God made you not for time, but for eternity. Living in light of eternity not only helps you develop spiritual maturity, but also helps to measure your level of spiritual maturity. Your view of life on earth will determine how you invest your time, treasures, and talents.
Learn to live each day with the “if” of God’s will. If it is God’s will, you will do this or that.
Pursuing God,
Stephen Trammell
Executive Pastor