Savoring Life After Suffering
"Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." – Psalm 90:12
Sometimes it takes a brush with death to really start living. In one of Dostoevsky’s stories, a man faces what he believes to be his final moments before execution. But when his life is spared, everything changes. He walks away seeing life with new eyes. The trees are greener, the faces are brighter, and every moment feels like a gift. He doesn’t just exist, he’s awake.
That kind of clarity is rare. Too many people live as if they have unlimited time, drifting through their days with little urgency or awareness. We say life is short, but we often live like it is disposable. The routine numbs us, and the wonder gets buried under bills, screens, and distractions.
But what if you didn’t need a near-death experience to wake up? What if you could choose to live today with that same intensity and gratitude? Scripture doesn’t just suggest it, it invites it. When Moses prayed, “Teach us to number our days,” he was asking God to help us live like life actually matters. Because it does. Every breath is grace.
Jesus said He came to give life, and life to the full. That means more than survival. It means joy, peace, and deep awareness of God’s presence in the everyday. The cross and the resurrection were not just about where you go when you die. They were about waking you up to what matters while you are still breathing.
You have been given another chance. Don’t waste it living numb. Look up, slow down, pay attention. What if today is the day you stop drifting and start savoring? You are not promised forever on this earth, but you are promised life in Him. Live like it matters. Because it absolutely does.
Sometimes it takes a brush with death to really start living. In one of Dostoevsky’s stories, a man faces what he believes to be his final moments before execution. But when his life is spared, everything changes. He walks away seeing life with new eyes. The trees are greener, the faces are brighter, and every moment feels like a gift. He doesn’t just exist, he’s awake.
That kind of clarity is rare. Too many people live as if they have unlimited time, drifting through their days with little urgency or awareness. We say life is short, but we often live like it is disposable. The routine numbs us, and the wonder gets buried under bills, screens, and distractions.
But what if you didn’t need a near-death experience to wake up? What if you could choose to live today with that same intensity and gratitude? Scripture doesn’t just suggest it, it invites it. When Moses prayed, “Teach us to number our days,” he was asking God to help us live like life actually matters. Because it does. Every breath is grace.
Jesus said He came to give life, and life to the full. That means more than survival. It means joy, peace, and deep awareness of God’s presence in the everyday. The cross and the resurrection were not just about where you go when you die. They were about waking you up to what matters while you are still breathing.
You have been given another chance. Don’t waste it living numb. Look up, slow down, pay attention. What if today is the day you stop drifting and start savoring? You are not promised forever on this earth, but you are promised life in Him. Live like it matters. Because it absolutely does.
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1 Comment
Pastor, what a blessing this devo is every day. Thank you for thought provoking messages that equip readers to serve, not be served. To live, not exist. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your beautiful family.