Tag Archives: Don’t Waste Your Life

Don’t waste your suffering

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John Piper wrote a great little book called Don’t Waste Your Life, followed later by Don’t Waste Your Cancer. Both books spoke to me – before and during my experience with cancer. The premise is simple. Life is short so live it intentionally and live it well. Oh I know, when your journey is filled with suffering of all kinds, life seems to move slowly, like it may never end. A year and a half after achieving remission from cancer and after my stem cell transplant, I’m still asking my doctors, “When will I get stronger?” But even in the midst of all kinds of trials, life really is short compared to the eternity of time that awaits us. So, how do we respond?

 

“Don’t waste your suffering.”

 

Suffering seems to be wasteful in itself; it robs us of comfort, patience, strength, productivity, and so much more. Suffering leads us to experience indignities that we are sure are unnecessary to the human challenge. But suffering also is a worker, accomplishing in us that which we cannot accomplish ourselves. Consider Paul’s story:

 

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”  2 Corinthians 11:24-27

 

Whipped, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, threatened by robbers and countrymen, surrounded by danger all around, sleepless, hungry, cold, and naked… I think you will agree that Paul knew suffering.  If anyone had reason to complain, it was him. But how did he perceive this tremendous distress?

 

” For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

 

He considers his trials light and momentary, insignificant compared to what? Compared to what they are achieving right now for eternal glory. Our sufferings are at work to purify us and build us up, even as we are sure they are only working to tear us down. And they are working also to build others up too:

 

“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” Philippians 1:12

 

None of us like to suffer and we don’t like watching others suffer. But in the midst of these, we are called to pray (for ourselves and others) and to stand firm. Don’t waste your suffering, knowing that our loving God will not waste an ounce of the pain you give to Him.

 

 

Your Life As A Movie

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Have you ever thought of your life as a movie? Really, a movie starring YOU. Actually a documentary of all your real priorities throughout life, your actions as well as your private thoughts and ambitions. The real you. Hmmm, I wonder if that sounds more exciting or frightening?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3 that we should build our lives on a firm foundation. What we say and do is one thing. But the foundation reflects what we really believe. It is the footprint of our lives. Verse 13 says that there will be a Day when it will all be brought to light and revealed with fire and the fire will test the quality of our work, our life.

But what does get burnt up? I don’t think it is the bad stuff we do because that was already paid for by Christ on the cross. But rather it will be all our non eternal works…the ways we wasted our lives with complaining, nagging, worrying, selfish ambition, meaningless hobbies, etc. I think this is the wood, hay and straw of our lives that “the Day will bring to light.”

The image that comes to mind is a somber one of the wasted moments I spent focusing on this world being thrown on a big screen…light that reveals and destroys darkness. And it will be burnt up. We will all pass through a fire and something will be burnt up. I hope mine is a small “poof” and not a large bonfire that causes others to say, “there goes Bryan!”

The good news is that you and I can CHOOSE each day how our life is built and what will be revealed in the end.

1 Corinthians 3:10-17
10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. 16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

Twitter Litter

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I confess, I don’t know anything about Twitter. I’m twitter-illiterate. Most tweets I’ve seen are short bits of digital communication, often to express a view out of context or just let the world know what’s happening at the moment: “I am tweeting while sitting on a chair.” I’m sure there are folks who have lots of value to add through twitter. Maybe some of you twitter critters could show me why Go Light Your World should use Twitter! I invite those who tweet to educate me; click reply.

‘@TheRealBradLea’ has an astute if not pointed comment about this:
“When you tweet nothing of value, I am hereby naming it “twitter litter”…try to inspire, educate, entertain or say something worthwhile. ;)”

Hmm. Seems to be good advice for all bloggers, face book writers and in fact for DAILY LIVING! Avoid littering of ALL kinds. Don’t waste your life: make your whole life worthwhile today! Share it with others in an inspiring, entertaining, or other meangingful way.

Discover your life mission and live it fully!

Don’t Waste Your Cancer

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Years ago my life was impacted by John Piper’s little book, Don’t Waste Your Life.The book left me with a simple phrase I have kept as a banner over my office for years: Passion and Purpose. Life with God is an adventure that is meant to be lived to the fullest and not to be wasted on meaningless and trivial pursuits.

On the eve of his own cancer surgery, Piper wrote an article, Don’t Waste Your Cancer, that poses ten lessons that are both challenging and encouraging. Depending on your life perspective, some of these may be hard teachings, but nonetheless they offer hope for a full life even in the midst of cancer. Here are reflections on two of these lessons:

1. You will waste your cancer if you seek your comfort from your odds rather than from God.
I am not naive as to what statistics say about my Leukemia. “Some count their chariots (survival percentages) and some count their horses (treatment side effects), but we trust in the name of the Lord.” (Psalm 20:7) The God who redeemed me is not bound by statistics. And regardless of the outcome of this circumstance, He is still my great powerful and merciful God.

2. You will waste your cancer if you do not use it as a means to witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
On my desk is a saying from my youth that reads: “Every problem is an opportunity in disguise.” We have a choice when faced with trouble: focus on the problem/circumstance OR focus on God. What matters most is that the story is told of His truths and His glory. As my friend Dan Kingery reminds me, “All stories are echoes of God’s grand story.”

Don’t waste your pain, whether it is physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual. Go to God and enjoy the rest of your life to His fullest.