Life Lessons

I've had a lot of time to think today, and there are two ideas that struck me today. Two near perfect metaphors for life and how it should be lived. Each idea came when I was doing mundane and relaxing tasks, which served as a reminder that sometimes the best thing to do is take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. Too much time is spent trying to either dress to impress or prove our worth by making a name for ourselves in this world. No longer are we satisfied with everyday life; we crave to be immersed in party or cut throat atmospheres. Except that never gets us anywhere, and we miss out on life lessons that God wants to teach us. We're just too darn busy trying to be awesome during our short stay on Earth, that we never truly kick back and listen to guidance from our Creator.
Today was my first official day of work during my stay at Concordia Eco-Resort. I was assigned to housekeeping as a way of easing me into things. Given the heat and humidity, it typically takes volunteers a few days to adjust to the climate, so the volunteer manager makes sure not to overexert the newbies. Part of my job in housekeeping was to find stained towels and linens, spray them with peroxy, and try to scrub them out. This didn't sound too difficult until I actually attempted it. For the life of me, I just couldn't get some of the stubborn set-in stains to come out, and then it hit me. Too often, we are too stubborn to admit our sins in life and they become like these set-in stains. They're impossible to blot out or scrub away on our own. It is only when we are forthcoming with God about our sin that He can bless us with a clean slate and forgiveness. This is demonstrated in Isaiah 1:18, which states, "Come now let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Only God can cleanse us from our misguided ventures here in this life. We will remain crimson until that moment we trust Jesus to be our Savior and then we become clothed in his righteousness in God's eyes, no longer covered in stubborn set-in stains from sin.
Another revelation that came to me today was that life is like doing the backstroke. Though I was being propelled forward through the water, I couldn't actually see where I was going, forcing me to rely on other senses in order to not run into the wall. On top of that, when doing the backstroke, the only place to look is up towards the heavens. Putting it all together in my mind, I realized that this was exactly how I needed to live my life: constantly looking up to God for guidance and trusting Him to move me forward in life, even if I can't see where I'm going. God created us to be complex beings, but too often, we're too focused on the future and the unknown that we neglect to use all of our senses and, which would help us completely enjoy the journey. It's time to start relinquishing control and asking God for guidance, who spoke us into being in the first place. We must finally take to heart and live out the words written in Proverbs 2:1-8 ~ "...if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding, yes if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints." God will provide all that we need, if only we just ask and seek His insight for our lives, and we cant do that without first looking up.