The Rest of My Life

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Today, this morning, I begin the rest of my life. What I do with it will have eternal consequences. What I choose to allow in my heart, the decisions I make, even the ones I do not make, will determine if I am a success or not.

True success is not measured in bank accounts or financial holdings, for those things are earth bound. Neither is it being the life of the party, or always having the correct answer. It is not in a beautiful, manicured yard, or a new truck, or another tract of land. These only bring earthly satisfaction and are at the most temporary.

True success is the measure of the person not their personal accomplishments. It is their character, what they stand for, and what they consider important in life. Do they trust God, and live according to his word?

Success is the path of humble submission to God and what he allows to come our way. It is humbly leading our families in the way of truth while understanding our own weaknesses and relying on Him, who’s power will provide the strength to see us through.

A successful life will be determined if one loved God first, others next, and themselves last. It will not matter how long they loved God, nor the amount of money they gave to charity, what matters is if they had a true heart; one that was filled with the love of God, inspired of the Spirit, and humbly surrendered to the same.

Yesterday is history written, and tomorrow is like a road untraveled. What I do today will be tomorrow’s steppingstones or regrets.

Today is like a fresh slate, clean and ready to be written. This day, at the beginning of the rest of my life, is like standing before that board, chalk in hand, ready to begin. I can choose whatever I want to write on that board, but I must be aware that some things are not so easily erased.

This day is a new day that I have never travelled before. I do not know what it will contain, happiness or sorrow, joy or pain. Neither will I travel it a second time. I am only at this place in my life one time, and that is now.

I need not be afraid of this journey for the Master is with me. I do not need to carry baggage from yesterday, because that is yesterday’s problem. However, I am human, and they tend to accumulate baggage and treasures, and both become burdensome and cause weary feet.

Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27

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Dear Lord, I need your help to leave yesterday’s burdens and regrets with yesterday and walk a new path into the sunshine of your love and hope; please do not be far away. I need your strength and vision of the future, and to know that you are just there. Thank you, Lord, for being in my yesterdays, loving, guiding, correcting, and bearing my burdens. I could never have scaled the trail without you pulling me up the steep places. And on the slippery places your hand kept me from slipping over the brink. Lord, I want to walk with you today, because no one and nowhere else in life can I find the peace, joy, and security that I find when I am with you.

In Jesus, name, Amen.