We literally race through life to get to the finished line – do we forget that the finished line is actually death?

We want to strive for success, money, happiness, best this, most impressive that. We race and race to get to what we think the outside world will applaud or what will scratch the itch.

The question I asked myself today is this , “ When last did I really STOP and savor a moment”? When last did I actually remove myself from the treadmill we live to run on, and smell, breathe, exist for or in a moment? I don’t mean quickly stop, take a photo, Instagram it or say a few nice words about it and move on while trying to balance everything we have to worry about in that moment with a split second of what’s ‘nice’ around us. I mean a complete sealing off a moment where what happened before, what’s happening during or what will happen afterwards is not taking space in my thinking and stealing from the moment that’s been given to me to simply enjoy. I mean a moment where I can fully enjoy what God Himself has presented before me for the sole purpose of my pleasure.

A few days ago we had a magnificent storm in Johannesburg. The puddles were plentiful and deep, the sound of the rolling thunder was powerful and the smell! Oh my gosh – the smell of a highveld storm is pure, raw and heady!

In that moment as I breathed it in (through my window), for a moment I considered going out and jumping every puddle that I could see. What stopped me though was the fear of judgement and name calling. Isn’t it sad that we are so restricted from pure pleasure by the fear of what other people will say and throw at us?

Taking time out – which by the way, Jesus Himself did often, is not a crime! We berate ourselves if we take time out to refresh and reboot our weary souls as if it makes us look weak and ineffective. If we’re not doing that, we lie about our time out because who knows what other people will say about us? What if somebody actually calls us lazy or God forbid childish or immature in the case of my puddle jumping ?

Why do we strive so much for outside affirmation from people that in the bigger scheme of things are so unimportant and do not control our destiny?

What if those moments are really a gift wrapped moment from a Father who wants you to take sheer pleasure in His gift and enjoy that which He has set before you- the proverbial table that He has laid out for you as described in Psalm 23?

I really believe that it’s time to stop and literally smell the roses, the thunderstorms, wiggle our toes in the sand, jump in the puddles, laugh and dance like there is nobody watching, live like there is nobody judging. Spend quality time with your loved ones – they appreciate that so much more than what you can buy them with the money you make on the treadmill. After all, we have one life that God has given us to live in abundance – not strife, exhaustion and a medal at the end of if we finish with what the world calls success and achievement. When that final moment comes- will we be counting our pennies or the cost we paid to accumulate them?

“You teach me the way of life. In your presence is total celebration. Beautiful things are always in your right hand.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭16:11‬ ‭CEB‬‬