Accepting the inevitable!

Sometimes in life, we have to accept the inevitable! There is a quote by Francis of Assisi where he says, “Lord, grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

Let me remind you of something we can change. 

We can change what we value and where our priorities lie! Maybe life is tough for you! Illness has been stalking you! You have fears about the future! Life has been very uncertain! Often when we cannot change our circumstances, we can control how we respond to them. 

 The Lord Jesus often spoke about life and its priorities. On one occasion, he talked to a group of people and told them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness (every form of greed); for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’.1 In effect, Jesus was saying that ‘life does not equal success’. All of the things we accumulate do not add up to ‘the good life’. The truth is, we need to re-evaluate what we prize most in life. 

 Ok, so let’s look at our list! It probably includes family, friends, health, community and the such like! But is your soul on the list? You may be asking, what do I mean? The Bible talks about you as a soul, and in fact, in the aviation industry, they still talk about the number of ‘souls on board’ - why? Because humans are not just bodies, they are living souls. 

 Every human being is very precious in the sight of God. So precious that the wealth of the world cannot pay the price for your soul. Psalm 49.7,8 says, ‘Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life (his soul) for the ransom of their life is costly’. In effect, God is saying that you are priceless. Thankfully society still believes that souls are valuable. That is why we invest so much in healthcare, medical solutions, health and safety, search and rescue etc. Why spend thousands on one soul? Because life is fragile and irreplaceable! 

 As I close, I want to return to my initial comments. What changes are you going to make to your priorities? Will you value your soul? Jesus said, ‘For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? For what can a man give in return for his soul?’ 2

 The truth of the matter is that ‘God did not send his Son (Jesus) into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him’ 3. We need to live life in light of this fact.

 Bible References:

1.Luke 12:15

2. Mark 8:36,37

3. John 3:17