The Creative Use of Life
Illustration★★★★Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. yn. 12:24 What a difference it makes when we are using life rather than having life use us. When we, to a marked degree, are managing our moods, controlling our emotions, making life meaningful, filling every day with the heights of Chris- tian living, we may say with confidence that we are using life. But when worry grips the mind and paralyzes the heart, or the dull edge of sin robs life of radiancy, or fear grips our life, rather than an abiding faith, and life runs out into a morass of doubt, disillusionment and despair, we know that life is using us.
The point
Using life rather than having life use us—managing moods, controlling emotions, filling days with Christian purpose—reveals whether we are truly living or merely existing in doubt and despair.