Kind of like that whole “smell the roses” thing …

It’s amazing how many people don’t try to enjoy their lives.

Starting with cursing Monday mornings, to complaining about commute traffic, grumbling about the boss, worrying about bills, and procrastinating over household chores, we find it very easy to see — and stay focused on — what we don’t like about the lives we’re living, and do very little to purposely and proactively enjoy the life God has blessed us with.

Circumstances don’t have (or shouldn’t have) anything to do with joy; although they may place limits on the types of enjoyments we can pursue, enjoying life is something God would like us to do! Yes, God wants us to make times in our lives to stop and “smell the roses.”

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life,” John 10:10.

Solomon helps us understand that all work and no play is to miss out and, indeed, make for a dull life. Not only is it okay to enjoy the fruits of your labor, that’s part of God’s desire for us!

And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. – Ecclesiastes 3:13.

Philip Parham tells the story of a rich industrialist who was disturbed to find a fisherman sitting lazily beside his boat.

“Why aren’t you out there fishing?” he asked.

“Because I’ve caught enough fish for today,” said the fisherman.

“Why don’t you catch more fish than you need?” the rich man asked.

“What would I do with them?”

“You could earn more money,” came the impatient reply, “and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. You could purchase nylon nets, catch even more fish, and make more money. Soon you’d have a fleet of boats and be rich like me.”

The fisherman asked, “Then what would I do?”

“You could sit down and enjoy life,” said the industrialist.

“What do you think I’m doing now?” the fisherman replied as he looked placidly out to sea.

Have you learned to make time to just sit down and enjoy life?

Scotty