Our Life is Fleeting: How Then Should We Live?
Introduction
The Holy Scriptures repeatedly compare our lives to things that are brief, fragile, and temporary. These comparisons are not meant to discourage us, but to remind us of a fundamental truth: we are just passing through this world. We are not permanent residents of this earth; we are pilgrims.
• 1 Peter 1:17: "Live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear."
• 1 Peter 2:11: "I urge you, as foreigners and exiles..."
Despite these warnings, many people live as if they will never die, pouring all their energy into a world that is fading away. The critical question we must answer is this: If our life is so brief, how then should we live it?
I. Biblical Descriptions of the Brevity of Life
The Bible uses vivid, earthly metaphors to illustrate the fragility and transience of our existence.
1. Like a Vapor (Mist)
• James 4:14: "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." Just as the morning mist burns off under the heat of the sun, our life is visible for a fleeting moment and then simply evaporates into the atmosphere of eternity.
2. Like a Shadow
• 1 Chronicles 29:15; Job 8:9; Psalm 102:11: A shadow has no substance and no permanence. It moves according to the light and eventually disappears into the night. Our days pass quickly, and we cannot hold them back.
3. Like a Breath
• Job 7:7; Psalm 39:5: A breath lasts only a second. This is how short our existence is when measured against the backdrop of God’s eternity.
4. Like Grass and Flowers
• Psalm 90:5-6; Isaiah 40:6-8; 1 Peter 1:24: Grass flourishes in the morning but is dry and withered by evening. Flowers bloom with beauty, but they are incredibly delicate. Youth, strength, and physical beauty are temporary seasons that inevitably fade.
5. Like Spilled Water
• 2 Samuel 14:14: "Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered." Once water is poured out on the soil, it cannot be gathered back into the jar. Every day that passes is gone forever; we cannot relive or reclaim a single wasted moment.
Central Doctrine
Human life is temporary; eternity is the only permanent reality. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that "people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." The brevity of life is a clarion call to live with an eternal perspective.
II. How Should We Live?
Since we know our time is short, the Bible instructs us on how to steward our remaining days with wisdom.
1. Do Not Boast About Tomorrow
• Proverbs 27:1; James 4:16: To boast about our future plans without acknowledging God is a sin of arrogance. We see this in the Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21). He planned for many years of ease, but God said, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you."
• Doctrinal Principle: Self-sufficiency is a form of practical idolatry.
2. Recognize God’s Sovereignty
• James 4:15: "Instead, you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'" Our lives do not belong to us. Psalm 31:15 declares, "My times are in your hands." We must yield our schedules and our ambitions to the Sovereign King.
3. Choose Spiritual Value Over Material Wealth
• James 1:9-11; 1 John 2:17: Wealth is as fleeting as the wildflower. Social status and bank accounts do not change our fundamental fragility. We must invest in what lasts.
• Doctrinal Principle: Eternal value always outweighs temporal gain.
[Image comparing a pile of gold coins next to a Bible and a glowing crown, illustrating the contrast between temporal wealth and eternal rewards]
4. Live According to the Word of God
• 1 Peter 1:23-25: Everything human passes away, but "the word of the Lord endures forever." If our lives are to have any lasting impact, they must be built on the unchanging Truth.
• Doctrinal Principle: The final authority for the Christian life is the Scripture. We must be regulated by God's will and constant obedience.
5. Be Prepared for Eternity
• Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Timothy 4:7-8: We must store up treasures in heaven rather than on earth. A faithful believer lives with their eyes fixed on the "crown of righteousness" that the Lord will award on that final day.
Practical Application
If life is indeed brief, we must act with urgency:
1. Do not delay your obedience: If God has called you to do something, do it now.
2. Do not delay your reconciliation: Forgive and seek forgiveness today.
3. Do not delay your service: Use your gifts for the Kingdom while you still have breath.
4. Do not delay your repentance: Tomorrow is not promised.
As Ephesians 5:15-16 commands: "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
See Also
- How To Prepare for the Adversities of Evangelism: Sent as Sheep Among Wolves
- What is the Reward of Helping Others?
- How to resolve conflicts in the best way?
Conclusion
The Bible teaches us that life is a mist, but it is a mist that determines our eternity. Do not live for the shadow; live for the Substance. Do not live for the grass that withers; live for the Word that endures. Every day is a gift from God and a responsibility before Him.
