Day 8

“The questions persist: what are we doing with our lives?

—what are the motives that order our days?

Micah 6:8

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?”

1 Thessalonians 5:15-22

“15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise the words of prophets, 21 but test everything; hold fast to what is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.”

Reflection:

These are the deep questions: What are we doing with our lives? How are we using our gifts and talents? How are we spending the precious time, energy, and resources we’ve been given?

And what are our motives? Put another way, what motivates us? What drives us? What determines our priorities?

It may feel overwhelming to even ask the questions -- let alone consider the answers. Let alone examine the difference between what we want our lives to look like, what we want our motives to be -- and what they actually are.

But today, resist the urge to move on. Sit with the hard questions for a few moments and prayerfully consider them. Choose one aspect of your life to focus on: perhaps your career or ministry, your relationships, your health (body, mind, and spirit).

As you reflect, keep in mind today’s Scripture readings. They give us such clear, simple standards with which to measure -- and at the same time serve as guiding stars, worthy goals to aspire to.

Whatever else we do or don’t do, whatever our hopes and dreams, whatever it says in our purpose- or mission statements, and regardless of our circumstances, our living arrangements, relationship status, health and wellness, financial resources -- these Scriptures offer things we all can “do with our lives” -- things we all can put into practice.

From Micah 6:8:

Do justly. By God’s grace and in His strength, choose to live with integrity. Be fair, be just, be righteous (in the righteousness of Christ)-- and do the next right thing.

Love mercy. When others fail to do justly, when they struggle or stumble, be eager to show the same mercy, grace and forgiveness God extends to you.

Walk humbly. Remember that God is God, and you are not. Approach Him with reverence and respect. Recognize how much you depend on Him for your very breath. Acknowledge that all you have is a gift from Him. Ask Him to lead and guide you.

From 1 Thessalonians 5:18:

Be joyful, prayerful, and thankful.

Joyful. Keep your eyes open for the goodness of God all around you. Celebrate creation, beauty, imagination, and virtue.

Prayerful. Talk to God about everything on your heart, everything that comes to mind -- especially those things that threaten to keep you from being joyful and thankful.

Thankful. Count your blessings -- and give thanks even in your trials. Remember that God can use your greatest suffering for your good; He can turn your biggest failures and mistakes into opportunities for His glory to shine through.

Again, choose one of these practices to apply to one area of your life. Ask God to show you where the practice has been evident or present and fruitful in your life and where it has been absent. And then ask Him to help you choose a few simple steps you can take in His direction.

- Reflection by Christin Ditchfield Lazo

Christin Ditchfield Lazo is an author and conference speaker, living on the campus of Virginia Theological Seminary with her husband Andrew, who is a postulant for holy orders in the Episcopal Church. They met and fell in love over their passion for all things literary, especially the works of C.S. Lewis.

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The Way of Beauty:

Listen to or read Mary Oliver’s poem “The Summer Day”. Let yourself be surrounded in the beauty of poetry as the author invites you to “tell me what do you plan to do with this one wild and precious life.”

The Contemplative Mystical Way:

Listen to this sermon by Howard Thurman “What do you want really?” that can be found on youtube. Try your best to answer the question. Do not force it, do not judge yourself, as you try to answer.

The Way of Practical Action:

Consider Thurman’s words for today, “what are we doing with our lives and what motivates you?” If only for a little while, and only if it is safe for you to do so, elevate your heart rate. Walk up and down the stairs of your apartment, run around the block, do your normal workout routine, do some yoga or calisthenics in your room. Feel the movement of blood in your body, the pressure in your veins. Take breaks and be kind to yourself in this exercise.

Prayer:

O Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day in peace.

Help me in all things to rely upon Thy Holy Will.

In every hour of the day, reveal Thy will to me.

Bless my dealings with all who surround me.

Teach me to treat all that comes to me

throughout the day with peace of soul,

and with the firm conviction that Thy will governs all.

In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings.

In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by Thee.

Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others.

Give me the strength to bear the fatigue of the coming day with all that it shall bring.

Direct my will.

Teach me to pray without ceasing.

Pray Thou Thyself in me.

By Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow