The Purpose of Life is NOT Getting Things Done

I have a lot of dreams. I also have a lot of desires. In fact, my heart is so FULL of longing and desire that it often overwhelms me. I accumulate lists upon lists of all the glorious projects I want to embark on--recipes to try, paintings to paint, books to write, crafts to build or sew...you get the picture.

But because of the reality of limited time, I usually end up standing in front of those lists and feeling condemned by them. I hear my ever-present accuser whisper, "Look at all these thing you still have to do, Emily. You're never going to get all this done. You're not doing a good enough job." 

Satan WOULD turn something like a dream or desire into a source of guilt and shame, wouldn't he?

And those aren't even the "more necessary" to-do list items...

It was into this storm of guilt and fear over how "good of a job" I was doing that Jesus spoke:

We have TIME, Emily. 


There is NO NEED to rush...we have all of forever to make our dreams come true. So don't worry about making everything happen now, or if things you want to see happen aren't happening. They will all happen in time. 

This day is not about getting things done. There's no rush. Today is about learning how to follow me, how to be with me. Let me love you.

Life is NOT primarily about getting things done. You're here primarily to learn how to be with me.

God created us to be with him. He placed us here on earth so that we can connect with him and enjoy his presence. He invites us to do things not so that we can earn his love or be productive and therefore worthy. Rather, he invites us to do things (jobs, ministry) SO THAT WE CAN LEARN TO BE CLOSER WITH HIM.

He doesn't say, "Do this ministry and make yourself useful!" He entreats, "Come, beloved child. Come join my work and learn my ways. Come, do new things with me and you'll see new sides of my love for you."

The purpose of life is NOT getting things done.

The purpose of life is LEARNING HOW TO BE WITH GOD.

You have all of eternity to do things with God if you learn how to be with him.

This means (for me at least), that all the wonderful and overwhelmingly numerous dreams I have don't have to loom over my head like a giant to do list. So what if I don't have a chance to write that book, or do that painting? I have all of eternity to write and paint and dance and play with God...so I don't worry.

Of course, the flipside is to make sure to pay attention to the dreams that God specifically places on your heart...because those are the places he's calling you in this life in order to teach you how to know him, how to be with him, in preparation for your eternal life together.