You live well by planning to die.
Yesterday, when I opened the YouTube app, I was confronted with the sudden news that a YouTuber had died. A vibrant young woman in the prime of her life—gone. This morning, I opened YouTube again and learned of another creator’s death.
Those headlines hit me differently because part of my work is making recipe videos for YouTube. It felt like reality tapping me on the shoulder and saying, “Precious, one day you will die.”
Life is brief. The Bible puts it plainly in James 4:14:
For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Let this serve as a gentle reminder: our time on earth is short. It’s easy to live as if this life will never end, but one day we will all leave this world and face an eternal destiny.
Which destiny have you chosen—heaven or hell?
I trust God for a long, full life, yet I know the length of my days rests in His hands, not mine. Remembering that I won’t be here forever helps me make better choices about how I spend the time I have.
For me, making the most of life means seeking God first in all things and doing everything with and for Him. I don’t always reach that ideal, but I keep striving to hold God at the center of my life. Keeping Him at the center eases the fear of death and assures me there is a better life beyond this one.
I encourage you to place Christ at the center of your life. Study Scripture daily and let God speak to you through His Word. Spend time with fellow believers who share a love for God and encourage your faith.
Plan for death by remembering that this life is only the prelude to our forever existence. Use the time you have well.
Part of planning to die is choosing to let go of hatred, malice, bitterness, and unforgiveness. Life is far too short to nurture resentment. Release what harms your heart and invest your energy in what brings life and peace.
I am grateful that as a Christian I have the hope of heaven. If you do not yet share that hope, I pray today might be the day you choose to surrender your life to Jesus Christ. He loves you and wants to be the center of your life.
For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.”
Romans 10:13