Tuesday, September 6, 2011

THE MIRACLE OF LIFE


"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle."
~Albert Einstein

Pink vision by Piotr Zurek

The quote above by Albert Einstein is one of my all-time favorites.

When life becomes mundane, predictable and routine I am drawn back to this thought.

Too often, we live a life of black and white – we wake up at the same time, we follow the same morning routine, we drive the same route to work, we do the same thing at work all day, we drive the same route home, we watch the same TV shows, we go to bed only to wake up and repeat the process.

As the world presses down upon our lives, we must make an intentional effort to see the beautiful and the miraculous in our everyday lives. Do you realize the miracles that swirl around us each and every day?

It is too easy to just accept the miracle of our bodies (our brains, eyesight, hearing), the miracles of nature (the fact that the earth rotates every 24 hours and is right now hurtling through space), the miracle of emotions, the miracle of birth and regeneration (creation of a child, seasons of the earth), and a million other miracles that are present and available for us to witness each and every day.

And yet…
- We choose to sulk through life feeling sorry for our circumstances.
- We choose to think life is boring.
- We choose to waste our days in front of the television.
- We choose to wake up with a sense of dread in our gut about the impending day.
- We choose to live in regret of past failures and lament our lack of success.

A life of excitement, meaning, and purpose begins with a focus on the miraculous.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible is Psalms 139: 14-15:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Just for today, I challenge you to let this verse take hold of your mind. Do you know Who created you and to Whom you belong? Choose to focus on the miracle of birth and life and know that you are here for a reason.

When our lives become safe and predictable, it takes a focus on the miraculous to jar us awake. Choose today to see the miraculous in every circumstance of life. 

QUESTION: What miracles in your everyday life have you been ignoring? Please leave comments below.

4 comments:

Dave Hearn said...

This is a great challenge Jason... life is a series of choices, and so often we let life just pass us by.

For me, I have to thank God every day that I am doing what I am doing and living where I am living.

Anonymous said...

Wow...awesome thoughts here Jason!...

Really sobering...

I try not ignore the miracles in my life...

for 1. I'm a miracle...

then my wife and kids...

thanks for reminding me Jason...

TNeal said...

As summer gives way to fall in the Midwest, I'm glad to have a dog who gets me outdoors and walking. Today was an exceptional day (as most are this time of year). Flowers in late bloom and bees, butterflies, and bugs taking advantage of the remaining warm days.

Jason said...

Dave - Life really is about embracing each day. Thanks for commenting.

Arny - Sometimes I forget that the greatest miracles in my life are those staring me in the eyes each day.

Tom - It was a beautiful day in Baton Rouge today too. The blue sky with the green trees and 85 degree temps was unbelievable!