Perhaps what I am experiencing is natural for anyone who turns 60 years old.
For me, turning 60 has brought about a season of reflection. Have I accomplished what I set out to accomplish in this life? More importantly, have I accomplished what God placed me upon this earth to accomplish? Or, spoken more bluntly, “Have I wasted my life?”
To those of you who read this in the early or middle stages of your life, I want to challenge you to ask this question sooner than later. For if you ask this question of yourself and come up lacking, then you may have time left to adjust your path so that your final season is more fruitful and your legacy has lasting impact upon those you love.
As I have pondered these questions, I have come to realize there are some guiding principles I need to understand to evaluate my time on this earth. As a follower of Jesus Christ, one of those principles is that I am not my own; I have been bought by Christ himself. Therefore, like the Apostle Paul, I need to realize that for me to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).
Years ago, a modern-day paraphrase of that Scripture spoke it this way: “For me to live means opportunities for Christ, and for me to die, that is better still.” More and more, I am realizing that if I am going to accomplish what God created me to accomplish, then I must grant Him total control of my life and future.
Second, I realize the disciple of Christ is one who willingly denies self and consciously climbs on the cross daily. We as humans are selfish people. Selfishness is a part of our nature. But if our faith is to impact the world, then we must invite God to make us selfless rather than selfish.
In Luke 9:23 a man asks Jesus, “What must I do to follow you?” Jesus answers, “If you want to follow me, you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me.” Again, the principle is clear. For me, to live should mean that I take every opportunity to represent Christ to those who need to experience his great love for them.
Now, as I turn back to my reflection and evaluate my effectiveness as a follower of Jesus Christ, I must acknowledge that in many seasons of my life, I have been my own worst enemy, chasing often after my own selfish ways and not living as a man possessed and owned by Christ. Perhaps it is spiritual maturity that leads me to finally say that it is better to lose my life than to waste it.
I pray that Christians everywhere would reflect on who they are in Christ and what it means to be possessed by Him. Remember, “…we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Let us walk worthy and finish well for His glory!
Mark Adcock is pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship in Fortville. This weekly column is written by local clergy members. Send comments to [email protected].
