Fine Best

Do you want to have a life that inspires others?

Do you want to have a life that can make an impact on them?

Do you want to have a life that can become a leading example?

One thing you can do: live a life of love and sacrifice.

Can you do that?

When you intend to do something right and have the power to do so, you'll do anything at all costs to reach all means to attain better welfare for all. You develop compassion for others. And with that, you can do it joyfully and willingly, knowing it's for a higher cause.

We may believe that this kind of life is painful. It keeps us at a loss. But if we look at the other side of the coin, it can actually bring us a sense of fulfillment. It shapes us to become the selfless individual we can be. It deepens us and finds us to become such.

There must be something that needs to be shed for something beautiful to come out. If pain has to be there, then so be it. Yes, it may hurt. But there's a fruit that comes out of this proceeding. There must be some fear, insecurity, or any other blocker that hinders us from accepting this.

So, what is your narrative of a loving, sacrificial life?
Are you willing to change your mindset about it?
And when you do, are you prepared to commit your life to it?

But let's understand first what this loving, sacrificial life is like. 

I like these descriptions of words I learned recently for this one-of-a-kind life. It's a life that's blessed, strong, and soft.

A blessed life is always in God's favor. Whatever circumstances you're going through, good or bad, as long as you're in His direction, you're in good hands. He works in you and plants seeds that will eventually grow into marks that prove His blessings to your life.

Know that you're already blessed by God. He gave you the blessing to know Him. He blessed you with family and friends to become part of your life journey. He blessed you with opportunities to bless lives. It's a matter of opening your eyes to them and seeking them out. And when you do, give it freely.

A strong life is anchored in God. No matter how challenging the situation is, you can fully surrender to Him. And in dealing with others, you can live a life full of humility.

A soft, gentle life is grounded in care for the needy. Never underestimate even the small acts. They can change the course of life in unimaginable ways. It may seem small, but I still believe in the power of that. The core of this is knowing what breaks God's heart. Knowing this will break your heart, too, and you'll do anything to bring that kindness to them. 

And when you have these, you can embody extreme reliability, unreasonable hospitality, and irrational generosity for others to be blessed with.

How do these show as a lifestyle?

* You can dance to any music life gives you.
* You can do what you do best. (You can achieve it further with moral excellence.)
* You can make the blessings God has given you count.
* You can make your life live on for eternal purposes.
* You can trust in God's sovereignty.

In summary, you can live for what matters the most, with God as your guiding light.

As long as we're still living and God is still working in us, we can develop this kind of life, which will become our heart. How do we do this?

1. Build strength.

Just like our physical muscles, our spiritual muscles need to be strengthened. They need time and effort for their strength to be built.  We accept everything that pushes us to have that kind of strength. Grapes in wine can't be drunk. They're only so when they've been crushed.

We also need to strengthen our minds. With the negativity around us, let's not succumb our minds to it. Let's build them up with optimism and tenacity. 

Strengthening these can enable us for strong hearts capable of loving deeply and giving much.

2. Remember the goal.
We always remember our main goal: to glorify God in our lives. And it's fulfilling the purpose He has for us in this world.

We can align ourselves with the goal every day in these ways:

* Be self-controlled and sober-minded always.
With the Holy Spirit helping us, we can give our best selves effectively to others.

* Love people earnestly.
Just as how Christ loved us, we should love others in the same way.

* Embrace the life of service.
May our mindset be that a life of service is a privilege, not an inconvenience.

These can be done. Discipline is key. 

As Christ-followers, we reflect His heart in our relationship with others. And we have to. Give all the love we need. Exert all the sacrifices we need. God blessed us abundantly with all that we need so that we'll always abound in every good work we do. After all, it's a refreshing take we can give the world amid the self-centeredness we're seeing.

With all that God has given us, what can we give back to Him? Something that settles for less or our very extreme best? A God with extravagant love for us deserves our extravagant love for Him. If there's something we can give Him that brings out the best fragrance, why have second thoughts about that?

It's never too late to have that kind of heart. And I believe that. As long as we're in His molding, our hearts can change. Get things right with Him. Spend much time with those we love. Settle up with everybody else.  And with that restored heart, we can give Him all we got because of His intense love, mercy, and grace in us.

May we have hearts that know how to give the very best because God has given us His best to us.