No tomorrow

Life is full of what-ifs and desires to go back in time and change something or do something differently. They say hindsight is 20/20, and I believe it. Thoughts of, "If only I knew then what I know now, I would have acted completely differently" take up space in our minds and cause frustration and even guilt.

I have always said I want to live my life like there's no tomorrow. That I want to enter Christ's holy presence knowing that I accomplished everything I was supposed to accomplish, that I lived life to the fullest. I yearn to hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant" and know that I ran the race and sprinted through the finish line.

Last month, one of my sisters in Christ from my hall entered Christ's holy presence because of a tragic hiking accident. Suddenly, I was faced with the realization that, while I would never admit it before, I thought of myself as invincible. I can honestly say I am not afraid of death, because I know it will lead to eternity in heaven. However, I never think about how I will die. I never think that it could be in 70 years or it could be tomorrow. I realized that I live my life as if I will never face death.

The first few days after the accident, I struggled with asking God if Faith's death was just an accident, or if he had meant for her to die. I knew that nothing surprises God and he can use anything for his glory, but did he really plan this? Or do some things in life just happen?

After days of struggling with this thought, God showed me that he indeed is in control of everything, and nothing is ever just an accident. Listening to the testimony of one of the girls who was with Faith that day, I realized how God will use anything to draw us to him and to make us realize that we were not created to rely fully on anyone or anything but him.

Once God snapped me back to the reality that there is no guarantee of how long he will keep me on this earth, I started thinking about everything I do during my day and how I live my life. He showed me that I have one reason for living - to glorify him through completing the purpose he has for my life. And who am I to decide when I have completed that purpose or when I need more time?

Faith taught me to take nothing for granted. To not be afraid to take every chance I have of showing Christ's love and telling others about the hope that I have. Because I plan on sprinting through the finish line.