Unless the Lord builds the house…
You have probably heard it a thousand times before - and likely from folks older than you. You know, something like, “Boy… time sure flies.” Or maybe they uttered an observation, “The older I get the faster time seems to go by.” It may have been a parent, or a grandparent, or a teacher, or a coach - or someone else in your life who felt the importance to impart counsel to “Make the most of your life because it goes by so quickly.”
It is not that the sage in your world was simply saying that time is passing at a rapid pace, but they were making every attempt to alert you that time speeds up as you get older.
If you are fortunate enough to have a good mentor, they will not stop with the obvious observation noted above - but will additionally provide guidance. With that in mind… here is some guidance.
Here is a simple 4 step plan that will help you to be intentional with the years ahead. None of us wants to simply exist - or to be surprised that our life has passed us by. And, exercises like this one can help us to make the most of our time on earth. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and enjoy the following challenge.
1. End the year well. Between now and the end of the year, what 1 - 3 accomplishments do you need to complete in order to reflect back on Jan 1 and say, “Wow… that was an epic year!” Go ahead, think about it. Do not select more than 3, and it is fine if you only have 1. Write it down. Say it out loud. Write down the actions you need to start doing today in order to accomplish the goal(s) by the end of the year.
2. Be aware that time moves quickly. For this step you will need to do some simple math :) How old will you be in 5 years? Say it out loud (yes, really, say the age you will be five years from now out loud). Let that sink in for a moment. On the piece of paper that you used in step 1 above - write down how old you will be in five years.
3. Envision your future. Think about your life five years out. Describe who you are and what you do. Think about it from social, emotional, physical, spiritual and financial perspectives. Envision your life over that span of years. Write it down.
4. Plan for success. What are the 1 - 3 accomplishments you want to complete at the end of 5 years. What do you need to start doing and preparing for today so that you can reflect back on your life five years from now and be able to say, “That was a great journey!” And, “That season was a total success!” Write it down. Note: in this section, it will help to be self-aware of your God-given giftedness. You know, the skills that seem to come so natural and easy for you that at times you forget that those abilities are uniquely gifted to you.
Interesting process. Right? For extra credit, share your answers with a family member, friend and someone that you trust. Talk about your four points with a significant other.
Keep that piece of paper with you and refer to it regularly. Be intentional!
It is important to plan for success. At the same time it is important to combine your heart’s desires with serving the Lord. At the end of our days we want to reflect back and say, “That was an Epic life!” and we also want to hear those precious words from our Lord, “Well done good and faithful servant.” (Matt 25:21)
Take your list to God and pray about the definition of success in your life. For “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:10). As you do this exercise - you are essentially building your life. Do not labor in vain. Create an Epic journey by serving the Lord and mankind in the process.
If you do not have someone in your life to share your 4 points - I invite you to send them to me. I would be happy to encourage you along your journey. To see elements of this kind of intentional lifestyle in action, check out the youth-fiction novel, The Blessing Effect.
Blessings!