Photo by Roselyn Tirado on Unsplash
Have you noticed how a flower blooms only in its season? It opens fully when the warmth of the sun and the rhythm of the seasons call it forth. In its brief time of flourishing, it stands still, savoring the moment. Yet, its existence is deeply tied to the cycles of time, unfolding and fading as part of a much greater plan. Just as nature lives in harmony with seasons, we too, experience the unfolding of time in our lives.
Do you ever find yourself caught between the ticking clock of deadlines and a longing for moments that transcend time? It’s easy to feel the weight of daily demands, even in our busyness, there’s a deep yearning for something timeless. Moments when God’s presence feels eternal, when time stands still, reminding us of the bigger story we are a part of.
In these moments, we’re invited to hold the tension between the fleeting and the eternal. Our finite lives, though bound by time, are also woven with eternity. God calls us to embrace the rhythm of both, acknowledging the sacredness of every moment while setting our hearts on the eternal purpose He has for us. We are not just time-bound; we are infinite beings, anchored in the unchanging presence of God.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 ESV).
God creates two seemingly contradictory realities within human experience: temporary beauty and eternal longing. By designing us to appreciate time’s offerings while simultaneously yearning beyond temporary limitations. To create holy discontent that points toward our ultimate destiny beyond chronological constraints.
“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’—yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that'” (James 4:13-15 ESV).
James challenges presumptuous planning that ignores divine sovereignty over time by comparing human life to morning mist—brief, fragile, and quickly dissolved. Genuine wisdom acknowledges our temporal brevity and God’s ultimate authority over our days.
Modern society encourages elaborate life planning while ignoring life’s brevity and God’s authority. Scripture invites us instead to hold plans loosely while living intentionally, acknowledging human limitations while seeking divine guidance.
Spiritual Move: Contemplative Planning—Before calendaring activities or making commitments, pause in prayer: “Lord, I acknowledge my life as brief mist and my plans as tentative. May my schedule align with eternal purposes rather than merely temporal goals.”
Journaling Prompts:
1. Where might your planning or time management reflect presumption rather than humble acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty?
2. How might “eternity in your heart” reshape your approach to today’s obligations, relationships, and decisions?
Thought and Discussion Questions:
1. How does our culture typically view the relationship between human planning and divine sovereignty? How does Scripture challenge these perspectives?
2. What practical difference would it make to regularly add “if the Lord wills” to our planning conversations?
3. Share an experience where divine interruption of your plans ultimately proved wiser than your original schedule.
4. How might awareness of life’s brevity (“mist that appears briefly”) change daily priorities without creating anxiety?