Life Lessons
Moving is never easy. My wife and I should know. We’ve moved thirteen times in our thirty-nine years of marriage. The longest we’ve ever lived in one home was in our apartment in Seoul, Korea. And God taught us some valuable lessons in those years.
Where we live is not nearly as important as how we live. Life is a journey of faith for those of us who have trusted Christ. God’s mercy, grace, and love are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:23) Jesus never settled in one place for long. There were always other towns and other people who needed him. Our approach to life should be the same. We may never move, but we can constantly seek to follow God where He leads in our day-to-day lives.
We need less than we think we do. When we left our three thousand square foot home in North Atlanta and settled in our one thousand square foot apartment in Seoul, we came to the eye-opening revelation that we didn’t need all that space. It’s true that we became instant empty-nesters, but the fact is our family never needed all that space to begin with. Simplicity is a spiritual discipline that teaches us what really matters in life. Even those who live in large homes can learn to appreciate a simple life.
Relationships are a vital part of life. I have to confess that there was a time when I dreamed of living on a large tract of land, secluded from other people. I still like my alone time, but I’ve learned that engaging in and building genuine relationships with others is vital to a happy and fulfilling life. I’m having a blast in our new city and church as Sherri and I get together with the kaleidoscope of people all around us.
Don’t get too comfortable. Being comfortable is overrated and can be deadly. I’ve learned that going to the gym, whether I want to or not, is good for me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve also learned that my obedience to God is not based on convenience. It is never God’s desire to make us miserable. It is, however, God’s desire to stretch us and grow us as human beings. That’s why our decisions should never be based on convenience or comfort but rather on what we honestly believe God is calling us to do.
The stress of moving in these past months has been great, but so have the rewards we are experiencing both now and in the days to come. God hasn’t called any of us to the easy life. He has called us to the full life. And that life is found when we make our home in Christ.
In Christ,
Dan
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You can listen to my weekly messages at Embrace Church, High Point.