Just over three years ago I woke up to find out that a fellow classmate had passed away in a car accident overnight. Yesterday would have been her 21st birthday. In these three years I’ve seen a lot of posts on social media mentioning how short time is and to never take advantage of small moments with friends. Those statements are true but instead of spending our time looking back on how we should have treasured the people and the moments, we need to learn the lesson and apply it to our lives now.
I think that we tend to focus on the future, as opposed to the present. The reality is that God hasn’t actually promised us a tomorrow. There’s a saying, “Don’t count your eggs before they’ve hatched,” that I just have never liked. I’m a planner. I may plan to procrastinate at times, but I’ve still got it all planned out.
Now I’m not saying you have to give up all of your plans and just go where the wind takes you. I think that it’s important to tell God your plans. He may have different plans for you, but I know that He wants to hear how you want to spend your life. And we shouldn’t spend all of our time planning out the next event.
Take a break. Enjoy the moments you’re given now. Spend time with the people who God has placed in your life.
I hate to say that I learned that lesson the hard way. Four years ago I had the opportunity to go to Mission Fuge, a great summer camp from LifeWay. But I found out that this trip was scheduled for the same week as our family vacation to see my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins at a lake in East Tennessee.
I immediately chose to go to MFuge because I knew, or I thought I knew, that I’d see everyone the following summer.
Unfortunately my grandfather suddenly passed away a few weeks later. The news shocked me. How could God take him when I had chosen to do something for His glory; sharing the gospel with kids during MFuge?
I still believe that He used my time at MFuge well, and I don’t think that He took my grandfather to teach me a lesson. But I sure did learn something. And when I heard the news about the car accident involving my classmate, I knew that God was trying to tell me that life moves on. If I only lament the death and wish for more time with the dead, I’m going to miss out on some great relationships with the living.
Sad stories, I know, but they’re important in order to understand how precious the time God has given each of us actually is.
Hannah Muñoz, The Rope Contributor
