There is a song I’ve been listening to this week on repeat. It’s not a new song, in fact, I’ve heard it plenty of times in the past. But today, I listened and realized something I needed a reminder of. The title of the song and the lyrics say “What A Beautiful Life” (by 7 Hills Worship and Anna Childs). I narrowed in on that word, beautiful, realizing how easy it could be to misunderstand and think I could synonymously put in the word perfect instead. But beautiful and perfect aren’t the same thing, are they? No, they aren’t. Out of curiosity, I decided to look up the meaning of beautiful and whether or not something has to be considered perfect in order to be beautiful. And I was reminded of something in this research.
Many of you, especially those who may have taken a philosophy class at some point in your life, have heard the popular saying “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. It’s about perception. Something doesn’t have to be perfect or flawless in order for someone to think of something as beautiful. And how freeing is that? To know that my life does not have to be perfect to be considered beautiful? I’ll be the first to say my life is nowhere near perfect nor where I want it to be. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sometimes thinks, “I thought I’d be farther along by now”, “I thought I’d have that dream job by now”, “I thought I’d be married by now”, “I thought I’d have kids by now”, “I thought I would have my dream house by now”, or “I thought I’d have that amount of money by now” (I’ll stop now because the list could go on and on). We get in our heads that our life should be a certain way. And if it’s the certain way we think it should be, then it’d be perfect. But it’s easy to chase perfect, isn’t it? Because it won’t ever be enough. “If only this” or “if only that” then my life would be perfect.
So what would change if we started chasing a beautiful life instead of a perfect life?
To do that, I think first and foremost we need to get it out of our heads that a beautiful life comes by chasing worldly things. Now let me stop there for a second and say this: I’m not telling you to stop chasing your dream job, looking for a spouse, searching for your dream home etc. I’m saying: Don’t chase those things thinking that once you gain whatever it is, that your life will finally be considered beautiful. I believe the Lord tells us pretty clearly what makes our life beautiful in scripture.
Jesus says in Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Notice how he doesn’t say here “everything you want” but rather “everything you need”. I’ll be the first to be vulnerable and say that I have a hard time with this some days. I have wants. But I need Jesus more. And he will provide my every need.
In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Our lives will have struggles, that is clear. But it is also clear that we have hope because of our salvation in Jesus for what he did for us. Living with that hope, and letting it flow out in the way we live our life, that is what I believe makes me look at my life and be able to say “what a beautiful life”. All because of hope. And not just any hope, but hope in Him, for who He is, and for what He’s done. And because of Jesus and the hope He’s given me, I get to live my life with joy through trials, praising Him all the same. My life may not be perfect, or have everything I desire (even if they are godly desires), but I sure think it’s beautiful.
Prayer
Lord, in a world that chases a worldly view of perfection, I pray that you keep my eyes open to the beauty of life with you. I thank you for the grace, forgiveness, and love that you freely give, even when I fail. Please continue to remind me of your truth and the hope that you have given to the world. Help me to pursue you wholeheartedly in all that I do or say.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen
Abundant Joy 