Take a moment to sit and reflect on your life. Really reflect, I mean. What drives you and motivates you? Who or what is at the back of your thoughts, as you go about your day? Is it your work itself – is that what gives meaning and purpose to your life? Is it your family or friends? Is it your hobbies and pastimes perhaps? All of these are key parts of our lives – but what if one or more were taken away? Is there something underneath or beyond it all that would still make life worth living? Who or what holds supremacy in life for you?
You know, sometimes I think we believe we’ve answered this question for ourselves, only to find that over time, our priorities begin to change and the lines somehow become a little blurred. We embark on a whole new part of our lives – perhaps marriage or children or new career or retirement – fully believing we have everything in the right balance. But then gradually we experience a vague dissatisfaction or disquiet, even perhaps frustration, as we go about our days. What has happened? What have we perhaps lost sight of, even if momentarily?
I say this with feeling, because I have to keep a watchful eye on this myself. As a writer, I can easily slip into believing that my novels, plus the accompanying speaking and promotional work, are the ‘be all and end all’ for me. And that can lead me down a rocky path fraught with danger. For starters, it leaves me open to huge self-doubt when bookstores decide not to stock my books or when the novel I’m working on refuses to come together or when the speaking engagement I hoped would emerge doesn’t. Don’t get me wrong – I love being an author and all that comes with it, but in the end, that can’t be what I live for. It can’t have final supremacy in my life, otherwise I will find myself on shaky ground. Instead, as I was reminded of so powerfully from Scripture this morning, for me Jesus Christ has to be the one who remains supreme.
In Colossians 1:17-18, we find these words:
He [Jesus Christ] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.
In everything. That means, for me, every part of my life – including my writing. Once I get that straight, things begin to fall into perspective again. Then I know who I belong to, I know who I’m really writing for, I know who tells me my true value – and it’s not publishers or booksellers or even my readers! They are all very important to me – but I can’t stake my life and my wellbeing on their opinion of me, however wonderful it is. With all my heart, I want Jesus Christ to be Lord of my life, to have supremacy over everything else. After all, he made me, he knows me through and through, he loves me unconditionally, he died for me – and he is completely trustworthy.
How about you? Who or what has supremacy in your life?
It’s amazing how the Lord reinforces and underlines the lessons He wants us to learn. Last night, I used some points from Stuart’s sermon on Sunday for my devotion at Ladies’ Evening Fellowship, ‘A Life Pleasing to God’ and without knowing it, some thoughts from your blog! Even a slow learner like me may get the message after three repeats! Isn’t He great!
Hi Marion – thanks for your comment, which I just found now. For some reason, it had been treated as spam, but I’m glad I was able to rescue it! It IS amazing, isn’t it, how God often uses different strands like that to reinforce something to us. Amazing too how often the talks/devotions we prepare are meant for us as well as our listeners! God bless!
I liked this blog. It is so true. I still in retirement have this feeling of being on a treadmill and not being able to get off. So i’m leaving this to do my quiet time. thanks JO. I’ll email you or ring soon.
Thanks Rhondda. God bless!