Each one of us were meant to live life to the fullest in what God’s given to us — to maximize our lives. Not only does this include stopping to smell the roses, but it includes utilizing the gifts, talents, and dreams God has given you. Essentially, this means to live in such a way that you make the most of every moment and every opportunity.
If you missed my last blog, you should definitely read it before continuing on with this one. It goes more into the “why” for maximizing your life. This post is all about the “how.” Someone can tell you something and yeah it may be good and be motivating and inspirational, but it sometimes can be hard to implement that new thing without some pointers to help you get there. That is the purpose for this post.
So what would it look like to maximize your life?
Firstly, you have to have a vision. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Without a vision, the people perish.” What’s your vision for your life? Do you have one? If the answer is no, don’t panic or give up hope. Like I mentioned in my previous post, God has a specific purpose for your life. He doesn’t want to leave you in the dark.
In fact, Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path,” and Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.”
When we seek God and when we have proximity to Him (aka, a close relationship to Him), He will show us which way to go. He may not show you the full picture though; He may just show you the first step and that’s okay. As long as we follow His guiding and leading, He will take us to where He’s wanting to take us.
My mom shared something with me that the Holy Spirit revealed to her, and it’s that God is not our map. He is our guide. This is quite comforting to me. Why? We don’t have to try to decipher a guide like you would a map. You don’t have to do it by yourself either.
Having God as your guide, you know you’ll never get lost along the way. It means you have someone who’s traversed the path you are about to step on and He knows all the twists and turns, the difficult spots and the easy trails. And in those difficult spots, He knows exactly how to go through it with ease and get out on the other side of that.
Having God as your guide means you aren’t alone in the process. He’s always (and forever will be!!) by your side. You don’t have to know everything — how it will look like at the destination or what all will happen along the way, because He’s leading you. Take that next right step and follow what He has for you.
So ask God what that next right thing is. Ask Him for the vision of what He has for you. Take what He tells you, move forward in it, and don’t stifle it down. Move into what He has for you.
Secondly, you have to rid yourself of the tunnel vision and open your eyes to the world around you. Like I mentioned in my previous post, this is one that can hold you back from seeing what God is doing in your life as well as prevent you from living life to the extent God has for you.
Take a break from the mundane to intentionally look around you at the world. One way to do so would be less screen time. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I’m speaking to a lot of people out there when I say we spend too much time on devices. Social media in itself is not a bad thing, but when we are so focused on it, it’s hard to see what’s going on around us. That’s where life happens. And not only social media, but also TV and video games. They’re fine in moderation, but in reality they steal time we won’t get back.
Another, don’t get so caught up in routine that you miss the small things. Change up your routine every once in a while, or in the midst of your routine take life a bit slower. Our society is fast paced, but a lot of the time we rush past the important things in life.
Life doesn’t slow down for those who aren’t looking. Life moves fast as it is, so you have to be deliberate to make the most of it; to make the most out of every opportunity.
There was a saying that was really popular several years back now, and it’s “you only live once.” I have to agree with this, but in the sense that time does move fast and you only get one life. How are you going to live it? The decisions you make, or lack of… will you regret them at the end of your life or will you be satisfied knowing that you made the most out of your life and what God had for you?
Creating the space to maximize your life is not as difficult of a task, but it does require a little bit of intentionality in doing so. But doing that to fulfill what God has for us and to live life to its fullest potential? So worth it.
So take that time to stop and smell the roses in the midst of your schedule. Take the time to step away from the mundane and relax or do something you enjoy. Take the time to pursue the vision God gave you, and if you aren’t sure what that is, take some time to pray and seek Him about it. Then move forward with it as He leads and guides. Time moves quickly, and before you know it it’s gone.
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14 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15 He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.
16 “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17 The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18 But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.
19 “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20 The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’
21 “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together![c]’
22 “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’
23 “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
24 “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25 I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’
26 “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’
28 “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29 To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30 Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
-Matthew 25:14-30
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Caleigh
An adventurer and coffee enthusiast at heart, Caleigh Ball has a passion for reaching out to others to inspire them to live with intention and purpose. As an ordained minister, she spends her time ministering as a youth pastor and is actively involved in Arise Ministries as the vice president and bookkeeper as well as one of the ministers. She enjoys life with her husband, Emmanuel, and their cat, Alaska, in their home state, Almost Heaven West Virginia.
Find Caleigh on Instagram at @caleigh.ball
by leaps and bounds 