Seeing life from God's view

Seeing life from God's view
By Rick Warren

"What is your life?" (James 4:14b, NIV)

How you define life determines your destiny. The way you view life is your life metaphor. It's your description of how life works and what you expect from it.

It influences your life more than you realize and determines your expectations, values, relationships, goals, and priorities.

To fulfill the purposes God has for you, you will have to base your view on the biblical metaphors of life. These are: Life is a test, and life is a trust.

Life is a test - God continually tests people's character, faith, obedience, love, integrity, and loyalty. Character is both developed and revealed, and all of life is a test.

When you understand that life is a test, you realize that every day is important. God wants you to pass the tests of life, so he never allows the tests to be greater than the grace he gives you to handle them.

Life is a trust - We are to be stewards of whatever God gives us. All we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands. The more God gives you, the more responsible he expects you to be.

If you treat everything as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity: affirmation, promotion, and celebration.

If your life metaphor doesn't line up with God's, ask him to give you a new perspective - his.

Point to ponder: Life is a test and a trust.

Verse: "What is your life?" (James 4:14b, NIV)

What will you do about it: No matter what trials or tests face you today, thank God that he is using those things to build your character.

Prayer: Ask God to keep you mindful that every day is significant. Ask him to help you pass each test and be a good steward of what he's entrusted to you.