How can a man truly seize the day? A question I have been pondering since being asked to write this blog, I am a 23-year-old man, single with no debt, a job that doesn’t tie me down and with little or no rent to pay depending on the attitude of my mother at the time. I often view my situation with 2 outlooks. The first being “Wow I’m blessed, I have nothing to tie me down. I’m free to spread my wings, explore and go anywhere that God wants me to.” And the second “When will God bless me with a wife, a house, a career that I can sink my teeth into?”
The phrase Carpe diem “Seize the day”comes from a longer phrase, carpe diem quam minimum credula postero, “seize the day, putting as little trust as possible in the future.” So can my two outlooks co-exist? I believe they can to an exstent.
Recently I spent an amazing summer in the highlands of western Pennsylvania, USA, working on a Christian sports camp. My role as a ‘Camp Counselor’ was to develop relationships with the 10-11 young men who were staying in my cabin, being a Godly role model and helping them to grow in the word of God. This meant I was with young people for 23 hours a day, staying in wood huts with chicken wire and mesh for windows and earning around £400 per month for all this hard work. So why do it? Because I feel a deep sense of calling to work with young people, giving them an opportunity to have a relationship with God which I never had. During this experience I seized the day by uprooting myself, taking a fresh opportunity whilst I had the chance and gaining experience toward my future in youth ministry.
Seizing the day answered many questions I had. ”Can my patience handle working with young people on a full time basis? Am I spiritually mature enough to guide people into being spiritually mature? Can I work in a Christian environment?” All of these questions were answered with a resounding YES!
What about everyday life? If we grasp the concept of carpe diem, what would happen in our lunch hour at work alone? I praise God because he has given me the gift of being completely open about my faith. I prefer for people to know that I am a Christian, the conversations it opens up amaze me. God allows me plant these little seeds everywhere. Sometimes I have seen them bear fruit, others I’m still waiting on and praying for. God works through me in those situations and the Holy Spirit anoints my tongue. Taking these chances in my day-to-day life keeps me from putting God into a box, from trying to put a cap on his power to save his people.
We all have the power to seize the day…Colossians 1:29 – “For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” Thinking upon this verse and my own personal experience in view of with my original question leaves me to believe this; seizing the day is often scary, often new, always challenging but stepping out in your faith today will bring so many blessings, it will grow you in ways you wont even have imagined and will impact your world in a new way.
Ryan Ireland – Guest Blogger
Ryan is currently doing an Internship at Coventry Elim with a focus on Youth Ministries. Ryan is a regular tweeter, so why not follow him on Twitter.