“… The journey together is so short …”
Dear reader, how old are you? What comes to your mind when asked this question? How many days do you have left to live? Many years ago Pharaoh asked the patriarch Jacob the same question. “And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” Genesis 47:8–9. Jacob knew that life is short. He did not say “my age is….” But he said, “The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil.”
Our life is only a pilgrimage on this planet. Why is it important to realize the shortness of life? Because it has a great impact on our character, thoughts, actions, and relationships with others. Life is a short journey and soon, very soon, we shall reach the destination. None of us knows when we shall depart, and sleep with our fathers.
Golden Story
I was very much touched by the following story. I found it on the Internet and I learned some valuable lessons from it that I wish to share with you.
“A young lady sat in a bus. At the next stop a loud and grumpy old lady came and sat by her. She squeezed into the seat and bumped her with her numerous bags. The person sitting on the other side of the young lady got upset, asked her why she did not speak up and say something. The young lady responded with a smile: “It is not necessary to be rude or argue over something so insignificant, the journey together is so short. I get off at the next stop.”
This response deserves to be written in golden letters: “It is not necessary to argue over something so insignificant, our journey together is so short.” If each one of us realized that our time here is so short; that to darken it with quarrels, futile arguments, not forgiving others, discontentment and a faultfinding attitude, would be a waste of time and energy. (https://www.ilovepsalms.com/2019/04/our-journey-together-is-so-short.html )
Our life together is so short. No one of us knows the day when someone may depart by death. Why so much quarreling? If everyone could realize that our time here below is of such short duration, clouding it with futile disputes would be a waste of time and energy. “Satan is Christ’s personal enemy. He knows that the time is short, and he seeks to gain the victory over every one possible” –Educational Messenger September 11, 1908
Vindicating your rights?
Has someone hurt your heart? Calm down, the journey is so short. Has anyone betrayed, bullied, or humiliated you? Calm down, the trip is so short. No matter what anyone does to us, let us remember that the journey together is short.
“We must give others an example of not stopping at every trifling offense in order to vindicate our rights. We may expect that false reports will circulate about us; but if we follow a straight course, if we remain indifferent to these things, others will also be indifferent. Let us leave to God the care of our reputation. And thus, like sons and daughters of God, we shall show that we have self-control. We shall show that we are led by the Spirit of God, and that we are slow to anger. Slander can be lived down by our manner of living; it is not lived down by words of indignation.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1160–1161
If you are easily offended by someone, you will be the one who suffers the most. Sometimes when someone offends you, it is unintentional. Keep this in mind and it will reduce your stress. If we keep worrying or getting stressed out about what others have done to us, we will lose our peace and joy. Rather, we need to cultivate genuine and divine love towards them. To be at peace, our thoughts and emotions must be pure. Our hearts must be fully open to forgiving people instead of receiving hurt or offense.
Try not to be among people who let little details upset them so much that life is always filled with problems and worries. How many people get divorced over all of the little things they kept hidden in their hearts that eventually became big mountains that they can no longer climb over? If we take no account of the evil done to us as 1 Corinthians 13 instructs us to do, we will have much better, and happier relationships.
“A man is called selfish not for pursuing his own good, but for neglecting his neighbour’s.” –Richard Whately. When we spend an excessive amount of time thinking about what people have done to us instead of what they have done for us we lose our joy. We develop a critical, murmuring, defensive attitude that displeases God. We have much more peace when we readily forgive. Good relationships are a gift we need to cultivate. Meekness is a virtue that is synonymous with greatness and not cowardice. Our journey together here below is very short and there is no return.
Because our journey is very short, let us remember that “the religion of Jesus Christ will hold the lines of control over every species of unlawful liberty; the moral powers will hold the lines of control over every thought, word, and action.” –Medical Ministry, p. 142–143
“Self is the enemy we most need to fear. No form of vice has a more baleful effect upon the character than has human passion not under the control of the Holy Spirit. No other victory we can gain will be so precious as the victory gained over self.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 485
Many signs tell us that the end is near, that the journey is almost over. “The condition of things in the world shows that troublous times are right upon us. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the near future. Bold robberies are of frequent occurrence. Strikes are common. Thefts and murders are committed on every hand. Men possessed of demons are taking the lives of men, women, and little children. Men have become infatuated with vice, and every species of evil prevails.” –Christian Service, p. 54
Considering how serious and short our time is, what should be our priority in life? How should we tell others that our trip together is so short? How do we wish to be found when our Redeemer appears in glory?
Let us live peacefully with all men as if today was the last day of our life “We are to manifest at all times and in all places the meekness and lowliness of Christ.” –Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 634. Whatever the problems someone brings to us, it is only a problem if we dwell on it; remember that our journey together is too short. Nobody knows when we will arrive at our stop.
Being Peacemakers
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9
Each morning millions of people of all ages arrive at their respective bus stops and get off. We all pray to live long but the journey is so short. Therefore, cherish and appreciate your friends, family, and the people around you. Be calm, respectful, kind, and thankful. Love God, His church, and serve Him. Be forgiving, holding no grudges. No matter what anyone has done to hurt you, always remember that: “it is so insignificant.” In the Bible we read that salt is good: “but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?” Matthew 5:13. Have salt in yourselves and live at peace, one with another.
Is it possible for someone to live peacefully, meekly, and humbly, each and every day? Yes. Very possible. The psalmist wrote “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Psalm 133:1. Sweetness is a virtue that is associated with greatness, not cowardice. Our journey together down here is very short and cannot be reversed. We have to be joyful, always with meekness.
“Meekness is a precious grace, willing to suffer silently, willing to endure trials. Meekness is patient and labors to be happy under all circumstances. Meekness is always thankful and makes its own songs of happiness, making melody in the heart to God. Meekness will suffer disappointment and wrong, and will not retaliate. . . . A meek and quiet spirit will not be ever looking out for happiness for itself, but will seek for self-forgetfulness and find sweet content and true satisfaction in making others happy.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 335, 536
Secrets of Victory
Here are some secrets to living a victorious life. Make them a part of your daily life now since life is so short. “Examine
yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” 2 Corinthians 13:5. “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.” Proverbs 16:7
Do not focus on the past: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13–14
In order to have peace in your heart, do not remember the former things: neither consider the things of old.
Give your past to God. He is able to turn your mistakes into something good if you trust Him to do so. Every day is a new day containing new possibilities. There is new life, new hopes, and new dreams. We cannot see the possibilities of today if we remain entangled in the mistakes and disappointments of yesterday. Let go of what is behind and move forward.
Lift up your eyes on high and see the wonderful future that God has prepared for you. Do not spend time mourning over what you have lost. Appreciate what you do have and keep going, one step of faith at a time. Remember, God is on your side and the trip is so short. The next stop may be yours.
Live in peace, avoiding strife and conflict. Has someone provoked you, or hurt you? Are you facing opposition? Are you depressed? Do you want to take revenge on people who did you wrong in the past? “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife.” Proverbs 20:3
Strife refers to bickering, heated arguments, and murmuring. Strife can be with friends, family, and coworkers. Will a true Christian be found with these types of people? “But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient.” 2 Timothy 2:23–24
To keep conflict and strife out of our lives, we must avoid conversations that lead to distress and turmoil. Human nature always wants to be right and this often leads to a great deal of strife. However, in order to avoid dissention, one must accept the fact that even though they think they are right, it is possible they are wrong. All kinds of problems arise just from constantly trying to prove we are right. But God has called us to peace. This is why The young lady, when provoked by her fellow passenger, responded with a smile: “It is not necessary to be rude or argue over something so insignificant, the journey together is so short. I get off at the next stop.”
Peace is simple and sweet. Strife closes the door to blessings and opens the door for all kinds of trouble, it weakens us while peaceful agreement increases our power. As the old saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall.” The next time you are having an argument with someone, stop and ask yourself if what you are discussing is actually worth losing your peace over.
Be Positive “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” –Sir Winston Churchill
The Apostle Paul tells us, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Ephesians 4:23. In other words, have a fresh mental and spiritual attitude. Being positive is a choice. It is an attitude we decide to have, and it opens the door for God to work in our lives. On the other hand, we can choose to be negative and open a door that allows the devil to work. When faced with negative situations, being negative will not solve the problem. The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude.
As soon as you allow a negative attitude to distort your viewpoint, it becomes a filter for everything and you lose your joy and peace. A negative person is not going to get answers from God, so they feel confused about what to do and everything goes from bad to worse. Why not help yourself and everyone around you by deciding to look on the bright side?
You can change the atmosphere you live in from negative to positive beginning right now. Pray and ask the Lord to change your outlook on the situation. Being negative is a waste of time. Ask for help to concentrate on the bright side of life and count your blessings.
Learn to forgive: If each one of us realized that our time here is so short we would not waste our time and energy to darken our lives with quarrels, futile arguments, and an unforgiving spirit. Did someone betray, bully, cheat or humiliate you? Be calm, forgive, the journey is so short. . . . Whatever troubles anyone brings us, let us remember that our journey together is so short. Let us cherish friends and family, being respectful, kind and forgiving because we do not know when our journey will end. Let us make this a principle of our lives: “If I have ever hurt you, I ask for your forgiveness … If you have ever hurt me, You already have my forgiveness…”
Strive to make every moment that you have remaining, valuable. Be loving, caring, sharing and forgiving in this blessed journey, smiling forever.
“Forgiveness doesn’t make the other person right, it makes you free.” –Stormie Omartian. “For if ye forgive men their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14. One of the surest ways to bring distress into your life is to be easily offended and hold grudges. The Lord wants us to enjoy peace, and that is impossible if we are bitter, resentful, and angry. Refusing to forgive is like an acid that destroys the container it is in.
“Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19. God will vindicate us in His time. He promises to deal with our enemies if we trust Him to do so. We should pray for those who hurt us instead of being angry at them. When we do so, we have freedom in our spirit and the Lord will take care of the issue. When we forgive we are released from a prison of inner turmoil.
The sooner you forgive a person after they hurt you, the easier it is to do the next time. Do not allow anger to fester in your heart and become a root of bitterness which will contaminate not only you but others around you.
By allowing ourselves to remain angry, we end up taking our anger out on people who have nothing to do with the original offense. God forgives us for all our sins on a regular basis, and He expects us to do the same for others.
By choosing to forgive, your feelings toward the individual who hurt you will not necessarily change immediately. Only God can change your heart. While we choose to obey, God then releases us from all negative feelings, and we are free.
Be humble and patient: Many things are better off left alone. Prayer and time changes a lot of things, and just waiting for awhile may save you a lot of grief. If you are confronted with a challenge, do not respond immediately. Give yourself time to think about it, and wait a couple of days before you say something. Take time to consider the situation and your options so you can make wise, solid decisions.
The Lord taught a great lesson to us when He told Jehoshaphat, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17. The Lord fought for them. Although there were other times He did instruct His people to fight, at this time He told Jehoshaphat to worship, to sing, to praise, and to wait. As he obeyed God, the enemy became confused and destroyed each other.
When faced with challenges, we need to get into the habit of pausing to pray and think before acting. You may not need to deal with everything that comes along. Some things work themselves out if you give them time. Ask God for the wisdom to know how to react in each challenging situation you find yourself in. Sometimes we have to “let go and let God.” “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14
Do not be Judgmental: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” –Mother Teresa. “My brethren, do not speak evil about or accuse one another.” James 4:11. Only God is the Judge. Only He can judge righteously.
Think Before You Speak: “Before you speak ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid.” –Bernard Meltzer. “He who guards his mouth keeps his life, but he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3. “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” Proverbs 17:28. Better to keep quiet than to speak foolishly.
Let us learn to think before we speak as it can avoid many unnecessary conflicts. Whenever you are tempted to speak negatively, ask yourself what the benefit of those words will be to the person they are intended for. Think and ponder your words, and bring positive words when tempted to bring negative words.
Conclusion
The year 2023 has come to a close. We are one year closer to the end of this world. The trip is getting shorter. Live as though this were your last day on earth.
The trip together is too short. Please consider daily what Paul recommended in Philippians 4:8. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Amen.
Victor Shumbusho, DR Congo