Moments
One thing this year has definitely taught me is that life is
full of moments: moments of happiness, moments of sadness, moments of laughs
and moments of crying. All these beautiful moments combine to give us that
beautiful thing we call “life”.
One critical thing about a moment is that it doesn’t last
forever. The amazing invention of google search defines ‘moment’ as “a very
brief period of time”. Yes, sometimes you’ll feel down and sometimes things may
not seem easy, but just like a moment, it won’t last forever. Ecclesiastes 3:1
says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under
the heavens”. Everything that happens in life has a designated time which,
sadly, we have no control over. Verse 4 goes on to say, “a time to weep and a
time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance”. Each moment in life
requires a different response, and I absolutely love that part about a time to
dance. Yes, we will have depressing moments, but there will also come times of
happiness, excitement, pure joy and gladness that no one will be able to take
away from you. Think about a memory that makes you instantly smile, a memory
that warms you belly and makes you see the good in life again. This sad moment
you may be in now won’t last forever, soon you will be able to replace it with
another happy moment that makes you want to dance and sing and, to put it
bluntly, act like a crazy person!
Sometimes things seem so horrible that we train our minds to
think of it as long-lasting, and that causes quite a gloomy outlook on your
future. However, another important thing this year has taught me is the sheer
power of the mind, as well as your attitude. By perceiving something as ruining
your future, odds are, it probably will. But wait: there is a solution! It’s
called changing your mind set- which will then end up changing your attitude.
If you’re going to look at everything negatively, you’re going to attract
negative vibes (hehe the Durban hippie is starting to show in me…). Your attitude
and your mind set go hand in hand, and they will determine how you approach
life’s moments. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”
The world can be a nasty place, so don’t lower your
standards to fit into it! YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING- now before you deny it,
can I just say SHUT UP:/ Sorry for being rude, but at the end of the day you
are beyond amazing and if you don’t believe it, you are going to let the world
and its “negative vibes” get to you. Start filling your mind with positive
thoughts, happy memories and constructive ideas. If something is making you
unhappy, forget about it- or at least
don’t constantly think about it because you will make it worse. You are
literally feeding those bad thoughts so that they can grow and consume you. A
practical example is from a book I read a few years ago: the author said that
she was single for a few years and used to get super depressed watching RomComs
or reading romance novels because it made her feel more single than ever. So
you know what she did? She stopped filling her mind with idealistic romance
views- she stopped watching those movies and reading those books and
concentrated on allowing God to write her love story. This is just an example,
but hopefully you get the idea. Something my aunt suggested at the beginning of
the year when I was struggling with a bit of low self-esteem, is she said I
should write positive aspirations about myself and read them every morning when
I wake up and just before I go to bed. It worked! I also stuck up some Bible
verses (like Song of Songs 4:7, “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there
is no flaw in you.”) to remind myself that I am PERFECT in God’s eyes and I
need to live in a way that shines my inner beauty instead of hiding it.
Needless to say, I am now faaaaaaaaaaar happier!
Furthermore, your mind set and attitude is often a direct
influence of the people you choose to surround yourself with. Do not waste your
few, precious moments in life with people who are going to steal your joy.
Moments are precious! Appreciate them and use them to the best of your ability.
Just some Bible verses on that:
Proverbs 13:20, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Then Proverbs 18:24, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 22:24-25, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
1 Corinthians 15:33, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.“
Proverbs 13:20, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Then Proverbs 18:24, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 22:24-25, “Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
1 Corinthians 15:33, Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.“
There are several more verses but I hope those give you a
basic idea; who you choose to surround yourself greatly determines the path you
will end up going down. If you surround yourself with wise, mature individuals,
odds are you will end up that way too, but if you surround yourself with
unreliable people who aren’t what we would call “the cream of the crop”, you
may miss out on fully becoming the amazing, inspiring, wonderful person you are
meant to become. I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t be influenced by
those around you in a negative way. Life is so short. It is so, so short. I
have seen life taken away in a few minutes- when you close your eyes they’re
alive, but once you open your eyes again, they’re gone. Do not fall into the
trap of a mediocre life! We do not serve a mediocre God. He is great and mighty
and all-powerful, and if you allow Him to, He will make sure your life exceeds
your expectations tenfold.
Live life to the fullest, do not look back and regret silly
decisions and missed opportunities. I’m not saying “YOLO” everything, there
needs to be a balance, but remember to HAVE FUN. Life is too short to
constantly be worrying and stressing and miserable. I’m pretty sure God has a
sense of humor (I mean He lets Donald Trump walk around with hair like that!),
so let Him help you have fun while you tackle this huge obstacle of life. Do
not take a single moment for granted- even the tough ones. Life is what you
make of it, so make it the best you can. Remember Jesus says in Mark 9:23, “Everything
is possible for one who believes.” So go and show life what you’re made of. You
can do this. You can make it through. You, my friend, can be extraordinary-
just believe it and then do your best to live it.
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can
steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what
you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, The
Places You'll Go!
