Since I got pulled over for the first time in my college days, I learned a great set of skills when driving. I can tell what type of make/model a vehicle is just by looking at the tail lights in the day time and night, I can tell when the driver has no intentions of moving so there’s no need to flash them or tail them, just make the journey around them and call it a day, and I can tell where each cop is hiding. But the best skill I taught myself was to use the rear view mirror to make certain no one is tailing me, there aren’t any flashing lights and anytime I drive under an overpass, I check to see if there’s a cop on the bridge trying to clock my speed….crazy I know! But how many of us gets stuck looking in the rearview mirror of life?
I felt like this has been occurring a lot these days with summer days dwindling down, folks are talking to folks, getting engaged than married or folks moving onto other careers but I’m still here. Still plowing along and asking God when is my harvest? FOMO (fear of missing out) anyone?
Let’s look at Paul’s letter Philippians. In college we were taught that this was a joyful letter from the jailhouse. So he’s writing this book from a jail cell, to the Philippi folks. Jumping down to verse 12 of chapter 1, Paul is informing his friends that though he has been falsely accused, him being imprisoned is to further the kingdom. Those folks in jail too needs to hear the good news too. My current position in life is to further the kingdom. Parenting without a partner isn’t easy but I find myself laughing a lot because of my daughter. I recall one morning or afternoon I was reading the word and my lovely daughter comes into my room with no pants but a shirt on. She proceeded to inform me that the bible says no reading. I than advised her that the bible says to put her pants on. Than she said the bible says no reading in her pants…..Seriously?!?!?! where does she come up with this stuff? LOL Well I rebuke her crazy statement quickly.
I’ve been finding joy in my plowing season and realize that the only reason why I look back is because of the what if’s keeps popping into my mind. During my study of the book of Colossians, this verse spoke to me, 2:3 “set your mind on heavenly things not on earthly things”. Makes me wonder, am I truly experiencing FOMO or is my path just designed differently? I believe you can experience FOMO in many different ways. But it is in the way you handle it that shows how either you’ve grown or are stalling in life because your plans aren’t working the way you want them to. Over the weekend, I heard Steve Furtick share this acronym, WDIM aka what does it matter? Kinda using it out of his context but I felt like it could be used here as well. What does it matter that someone else gets the job and you didn’t? What does it matter that someone else gets to go on vacation to Hawaii and you didn’t? What does it matter that you’re still single and ready to mingle but Mr./Miss right still isn’t here yet?
Enjoy the current season you’re in, stopping looking into the rearview mirror for comfort. Like I’ve mentioned in the previous post, change is uncomfortable but that’s the only way to grow.
Happy August!
Naomie Music 