ACHIEVE

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--ACHIEVE

Five minutes to free write about it

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Recently I reconnected with an old grad school friend who tracked me down through Facebook. She has achieved much and the bio she shared with me was impressive. As I read it, my thoughts started traveling down the bunny trail of remorse over the poor choices I made during this 60 year interim, the squandered talents and opportunities. 

More than anything, I had wanted to make a difference, to feel acknowledged, to achieve something of significance, but that's not the way things played out. Life did not turn out the way I wished it had.

Regrets, however, are futile. Not one of us can go back and change the past. So midway down that trail I stopped and reminded myself that we are all Divine originals created by God for a special purpose no one else can fulfill. Unlike the world, He does not measure our self worth by our achievements, or by how other people perceive us, nor does He measure success in numbers. 

A question I had never considered popped into my mind. Am I really where I am today because of the poor choices I made, or am I here by God's design? Perhaps this is exactly what and where I need to be for this particular moment in His plan. Perhaps it's a token of His mercy and grace towards me.

Had I pursued my talents and education to their fullest, would I maybe have spent my life chasing after the things this world has to offer instead of the things that have eternal value? Would I have missed God's gift of salvation, a greater tragedy by far? That's a thought to ponder.