A Life-Changing Perspective
Dear friend, as you stand at the threshold of a new chapter in your life, remember that tomorrow is not always what it seems. You’re young, driven, and ambitious, with big goals and a laser focus on achieving them. But be careful not to let your pursuit of tomorrow’s success rob you of today’s joy.
The Illusion of Tomorrow
It’s easy to view life as a ladder, with each rung representing a milestone achieved or a goal accomplished. Finish school, pay off loans, find a spouse, have kids, buy a home… the list goes on. But when we fix our gaze on the next rung, we can lose sight of what truly gives our lives meaning. Death has a way of revealing the flimsiness of the things we trust to give our lives substance. As Albert Camus so poignantly put it, death exposes the things we love and trust as mere set pieces on a stage – illusions of strength that crumble under the weight of reality.
A Harsh but Liberating Truth
The book of Ecclesiastes offers a sobering perspective on the fleeting nature of human achievement. The author, who calls himself the Preacher, spent his life pursuing wealth, wisdom, and pleasure, only to find that it was all “vanity and a striving after wind.” But in acknowledging the certainty of death, we can find freedom from the stress, fear, and envy that often accompany our pursuit of success. When we remember our mortality, we can clear a path for the promises of Jesus to take their proper place in our lives.
Remember Death, Remember Jesus
In Christ, we have an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading – an inheritance that is kept in heaven for us. Whatever else may come of our pursuits, whether we achieve our goals or not, we will ultimately lose it all to death. But in remembering death, we can remember Jesus, and find hope and joy in the midst of uncertainty.
A New Perspective
So, dear friend, as you look to the future, don’t let your pursuit of tomorrow’s success rob you of today’s joy. Remember death, and let it put your short-term possibilities into perspective. Clear a path for the promises of Jesus to take their proper place in your life, and find hope and joy in the midst of uncertainty.
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