Today’s guest blogger is one of my own. I didn’t birth him, but God brought Andrew into our lives almost 10 years ago, and he’s been a part of our crazy crew since then. I have watched him grow up and mature into this man who is pursuing God and His will for his life. I have been blessed to see him struggle and succeed, and become a better person for it. His heart is full of compassion and he demonstrates this at his job as an ICU nurse in Florida.
Listen to his message and his insights that he is learning . . .
“What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away.” Ecclesiastes 3: 9-15
For whatever reason, I have always been anxious about time. There have been many seasons of my life where I wrestled with depression and identity as it seemed like time had been passing me by. I watched as people I had grown up with had gone to accomplish things far before me and I felt like I was always behind. Though I’ve come such a long way, there are yet so many things I hope to achieve. Time has always been an enemy of mine, and patience not my greatest virtue either. The comfort I’ve found is that God makes everything beautiful in its time and though I’ve felt so far behind and so worthless at times, God is continuously working in my life in ways that I cannot possibly imagine. Though I am certainly not where I had hoped to be at 27, I know that I am exactly where I need to be. I look back at the things that I had often desired and prayed for in the past and am so thankful that those prayers went unanswered, for I would not be exactly where I am now, my life would have gone in a completely different trajectory which I know in hindsight would have not made me a better person.
I think another comforting phrase that I like to believe in is that “everything happens for a reason”. I feel like I’ve navigated through a lot of stormy seasons in my life, many of which were by my own doing. I used to think that it would be so nice for those storms to have just passed me by and I could live in some eternal bliss without hardship. I know now that sometimes you need to be challenged in order to grow. When I go to the gym I don’t just sit around and hope that I get stronger. I try to grab heavier weights that really make me work or run faster and longer than I have before. I think in the same way the storms in our lives are there to help us grow, and though it would be nice to know why we have to face them sometimes we cannot find out what God has done from beginning to the end.
I think so often I had a fear of storms in my life that I had forgotten to enjoy the sunny days. I think that’s why King Solomon wants us to know that the whole point of life is to be joyful and do good as long as we live; and that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil – this is God’s gift to man. Most certainly I think that I have missed out on the simple pleasures of life while I had been chasing my own dreams and pursuits. I do wish I had spent more time eating with my family, enjoying the company of my family and friends, and to be joyful in all things. Yet I let my life be about fulfilling some better idea of myself that I had than enjoying the present with the people God had placed in my life who have shown me so much love. Time which I won’t be able to get back.
I think rather than letting fear and anxiety rule my life, I would rather let God take control and live every day with a joyful heart. That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already has been; and God seeks what has been driven away. God has already seen time from beginning to end and knows my future. I think I’m done spending my life afraid of the storms that will most certainly come, after all God will give me new mercies every morning to overcome them.
Every challenge is an opportunity to grow in my faith and love in God. I might not know what tomorrow brings, but there isn’t anything that is going to surprise my God. I think I want to spend the rest of my days enjoying a nice meal, a tasty drink, and the company of those I love. Joyful knowing that whatever God does endures forever and that He isn’t finished with my story yet. I hope that you don’t let fear and anxiety rule your life as I did and that you don’t let time pass you by!
Andrew Caudle
Thanks Andrew, I have been quite anxious and concerned with all the work that seems to be laid out in front of me. I have resented when life gets in the way of when and what I wanted to accomplish. I’m retired but God sees it differently. I have a better appreciation of the tasks that lay ahead and pray my attitude reflects appreciation for still being needed.
Thank you for sharing! It does my heart good to see a young person pursuing God:)
I loved hearing what you,Andrew, had to say. Those early days in St. Marys when we were first getting to know you, and Kayla was living with us were good times from my perspective. Your group of friends from church were all trying to find your place in the world. It’s good to see that you’re growing in God’s Word. He’s not done with any of us, so the trials will still come, but He’s so faithful and cannot lie. You wrote this article beautifully. Well done.