“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4)

I frequently think back on periods of life wishing I would have had a better perspective during those times. For instance, as a teenager high school consumed a lot of energy. I worried about who my friends where, how I was doing in sports and activities and if I’d have  a prom date. Now, I get facebook friend requests from people I went to high school with and I barely have memories of them.

This patterned continued in college. I stressed about picking the right major; I worried about finding a job in my field. I wondered what would happen after college and didn’t feel prepared for the job market. Now I am on my third professional job since graduation, I’ve learned a lot since and I wonder why I stressed over all of these things.

Life takes energy, careful thought and attention are needed for decisions that have to be made. But in reflection, perhaps the time and attention given to focusing on these things is disproportionate to the time and attention focused on eternal things. Looking back, these moments in time are faint echoes and I wonder how important they were to the big picture. 

Keeping the Right Perspective

Paul gives great advice in Colossians 3 about keeping the true center of the Christian life; which is Christ. Here are three things given to help us keep the right perspective while navigating daily life.

First, set your heart and mind on things above (vs. 1-2). This is where you get an eternal perspective. You’ve been raised and seated with Christ, and now your true life is hidden with Him (vs. 3).

Secondly, put on the new self which is fashioned after Jesus (vs. 10). This is how change occurs.  The Amplified Bible explains it in this way, “And have clothed yourselves with the new [spiritual self], which is [ever in the process of being] renewed and remolded into [fuller and more perfect knowledge upon] knowledge after the image (the likeness) of Him Who created it” (Colossians 3:10 AMP).

Lastly, whatever you do in word or deed do it for Jesus (vs. 17, 23). This is where living with purpose comes into play. It’s a beautiful truth, it doesn’t matter what you do if you do it with the right attitude and focus. Paul mentions it twice in this chapter; “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (vs. 17). And also, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” (Colossians 3:23).

These things will help us keep the right perspective finding balance between daily life and living with an eternal focus. I believe this is what Paul meant when he said, “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:3-4). 

Today, may you be blessed as you reflect on the truth that your life is now hidden with Christ in glory. May this truth enable you to leave with purpose.

I’d Love To Hear From You…

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (II Corinthians 4:17-18).

Can you think of a time when you were so focused on heavenly things that even the troubles of this world seemed ‘light and momentary’?