I have had a great life. I have had the privilege to visit many incredible locations and experience a multitude of different experiences. I have resources where I can live comfortable and without needing anything. I am in a season of life where I have had time to reflect as to what I would like to do in my second half of life. I believe God will let me choose what the next decades will look like. I can choose safe, go with the flow of life, cash in on the work that I have done and live a comfortable life where I can invest in things that make me happy or I can choose to trust God with the days I have left with no guarantee on how comfortable or easy that they will be. I believe our culture says to thrive in 2022 I must choose the first option, but for me I think there is more life, more thriving in choosing the second.
Paul obviously gets this. He is all in and he is inviting Timothy to be all in. I think many of us sell ourselves short by thinking that we are not Paul so we shouldn’t even try living the way he does. He was special. He was a good example, but very few people are called to live a life that he lived. But what if we are willing to consider that maybe to thrive in 2022, we need to step out in unbridled trust with God.
As Paul ends his letter to Timothy, he gives Timothy one last encouragement and commission. Paul reminds Timothy of what is most important, what is worth fighting for and what he will face as he lives this out. What if we can read these words as an encouragement to us.
2 Tim:4 I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
6 As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. 8 And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing
Most of us want to be able to say vs 6-8 about our lives as live our last days on earth out. Many of us want to live to leave an impact and to have lived out our purpose. If we are serious about the outcome we must look at how Paul reached that outcome in his life. Paul poured himself out – he was committed to following Jesus wherever that led him, He intentionally chose to know Jesus and tell others about Him. I don’t think Jesus calls us to live physically like Paul, but I do think He invites us to live with the heart and commitment of Paul.
To thrive in 2022, I believe we need to tell others about the hope and life that is found in Jesus. I believe we can tell people about Jesus and what He has done in our own lives. If you don’t understand Jesus, meet with someone who can help you on the journey. If you are a Christ follower evaluate how you are telling people about Jesus, how you are showing Jesus to people by your actions, interactions, and lifestyle. Paul gives us a great roadmap in how to do this: be prepared, patiently live it out, carefully rebuke or correct, encourage through good or accurate teaching. Many well meaning Christians have shared an incomplete gospel by sharing about Jesus in a way that would not offend someone or worse yet, not carefully correcting someone who has an inaccurate view of Jesus. Many of us are overwhelmed with feeling of insecurity and fear when it comes to talking about Jesus with our friends, neighbors, family members, and random people in our lives. We pull back from sharing the Truth about Jesus, because we have a fear of not having the answers, being rejected, or being attacked. Some of us have not experienced a thriving life because we have not been willing to share about Jesus, we inadvertently have become a subtle hypocrite – for God on Sunday and in private, but withholding living for him outside of the comfortable times. We haven’t been able to diagnose why we don’t feel unleashed, and have slowly become frozen. What if the key to being unlocked and thriving is to be bold about sharing about Jesus, what He has done in your life, carefully and patiently correcting bad theology, and confidently being willing to be about Jesus in all aspects of your life? It won’t be easy but it will be worth it.
As I look to the next chapter of my life I am looking forward to being a part of a movement that re-examines what it looks like to be a follower of Jesus in 2022 where we do not sacrifice Christin lifestyle to fit into culture, but instead seek God’s wisdom and discernment to influence culture to become more like Jesus. If that resonates in your heart and soul, do not grow weary or discouraged, I believe the Holy Spirit is moving in the hearts of a remnant of church leaders to raise up the next generation of Christ followers. Do not just settle for being a spectator, but instead insist on being an active player and consider sacrificing, making lifestyle choices to be apart of where God is leading.