Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. James 4:13-14
We have many phrases to recognize how quickly life passes by. We say things like “time flies!” or “That feels like yesterday . . .” or “Where did the time go?” or “In the blink of an eye.” When James taught about time passing quickly, he echoed this truth and went a step further to encourage the church to remember the brevity of life.
James wasn’t trying to scare the church but encourage them to embrace the moment to live for Christ. The time is now to follow Him and hold our plans for the future loosely, recognizing that much is out of our control. Despite our lack of control, we can have peace, knowing God is in control of everything. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever.” Our lives may be fragile and brief with many things outside of our control, but in Christ, we anchor our lives on the one who will never change and who will carry us through the unknowns of life every step of the way.
- What are some ways you have recognized the brevity of life? How do you feel when you consider how much of life is out of your control?
- What are some plans you have for your life? How can you entrust these to the Lord?
- Pray and ask God to help you see where you are holding onto your own plans too tightly and to trust Him with whatever comes your way.
