Seeing Life from God's View

“The way you see your life shapes your life. How you define life determines your destiny. Your perspective will influence how you invest your time, spend your money, use your talents, and value your relationships.” So how do you view life? What image or metaphor would you use? People have described life in a variety of ways. Some see it as a circus, others as a minefield, a roller coaster, a puzzle, a symphony, a journey and a dance. People say “Life is a carousel: Sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down, and sometimes you just go round and round” or “life is a ten-speed bicycle with gears we never use” or “life is a game of cards: You have to play the hand you are dealt.” When you think of your life, what picture comes to mind? Which do you identify with? “That image (what ever it is) is your life metaphor. It’s the view of life you hold, consciously or unconsciously, in your mind. Its your description of how life works and what you expect from it.” People use a variety of ways to express their view of life - from the car they drive to the clothes they wear to their hairstyles, tattoos or even bumper stickers. Our presuppositions about life influence us more than we probably realise. They will often shape our expectations, form our values, shape our priorities, form our relationships and set our goals. For example, “if you see life as a party, your primary value in life will be having fun.
If you see life as a race, you will value speed and will probably be in a hurry much of the time. If you view life as a marathon, you will value endurance. If you see life as a battle or game, winning will be very important to you.” What is your view of life? Are you basing your life on a faulty metaphor? What is your purpose in life? What is your motivation? The first and most important purpose for your life is to know God and love God - because you were planned for his pleasure.

1. Life is a Trust
“This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.” (1 Corinthians 4:1) “We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans the earth to us while we’re here. It was God’s property before you arrived and God will loan it to someone else after you die. You just get to enjoy it for a while as trustees.” We are trustees of God’s property. As Paul goes on to say in verse 7, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).

Jesus often referred to life as a trust and told many stories to illustrate God’s kingdom rule, Jesus said, "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. (Matthew 25:14-15)
In the Parable of the Talents, when the master returns, he evaluates each servant’s faithfulness and rewards them accordingly. The owner says, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' (Matthew 25:21).
“At the end of your life on earth we will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well you have handled what God has entrusted to you.” This means everything we do, even the little things like daily chores, can have eternal consequences. So, life is a trust.

2. Life is a Test
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

“Character is both developed and revealed by tests.” Indeed, “all life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment,”. “Most people fail to realise that money is both a trust and a test from God. God uses finances to teach us to trust him and for many people, money is the greatest test of all. God watches how we use money to test how trustworthy we are. Jesus says, “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?” “The good news is that God wants you to pass the tests of life, so he never allows the tests you face to be greater than the grace he gives you to handle them.” “no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it, for he has promised this and will do what he says. He will show you how to escape temptation's power so that you can bear up patiently against it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

3. Life is a Temporary Assignment
“It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of people’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” (1 Corinthians 4:4-5)

David prays, “Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be. Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.” (Psalm 39:4). Paul writes in his second letter to the Corinthians, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18). If we treat everything we have in life as a trust; if we view everything that happens in life as a test; if we recognise all we value in this life as a temporary assignment - God promises three rewards in eternity.

1. Affirmation: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
2. Promotion: “I will put you in charge of many things”
3. Celebration : “Come and share your Master’s happiness

That is why James writes confidently “Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12)