It’s easy to go with the flow. But time is evaporating rapidly. Every day the sand is lower in our own respective hourglasses and we have no idea when our time is up. Now that we have that encouraging thought about the brevity of our lives, perhaps it helps us to be motivated to live well and leave well. Here are five ways for living with the end in mind.
Live in Wisdom
The Psalmist encouraged us to ask God to “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NIV). Numbering our days is not just the proverbial hash marks or slashing through days on a calendar. It is seeking to live our days faithfully. Not wasting the time with idle or idol time, but spending our days on what pleases God. Living without wisdom is not living with the end in mind. Those who walk in wisdom invest for more than this life . . . they prepare for eternity by how they live now.
Live in Freedom
If we do not live intentionally, we will be bound by demands that are not a part of the legacy we want to leave. We live well when we live in freedom by living a life seeking to please God, not our flesh. Boundaries are part of what enables us to truly be free—free from being worldly and free to live for God and leave a legacy built on righteousness. Setting boundaries on our time, finances, and personal life helps us to stay focused on what matters most.
Live for the Kingdom
When we have a kingdom mindset, we don’t waste time on the world’s goals. Evaluating our life goals against the litmus test of God’s will helps us not to fritter away time that could be better spent. And living for God’s principles will impact how we use what He has given. Being generous with others is being generous with God, earning rewards in Heaven that far surpass rewards on earth.
Live for One
Life is a gift we cannot keep. Invest it wisely. The world around us tells us to live for self, but when we live for an audience of One there is no greater joy. Living with the end in mind is not a once and done proposition. It is a daily exercise in faith of dying to self and living for One.
