What’s Going to Matter?
“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain the heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12
In her book The Time-Saving Mom, Crystal Paine asks two questions that have really stuck in my mind since I read the book:
- What is going to matter twenty-five years from now?
- What is going to matter at the end of my life?
None of us know when our last day will come, but we all want our life to matter. Psalm 90, written by the Old Testament hero Moses, reflects on how short man’s life is, but how everlasting God is himself. Moses praises God for his power and faithfulness and asks God to “teach us to number our days, that we may gain the heart of wisdom.” This verse has become a favorite of mine because it helps me remember that while so many things grab my attention, a few things really matter in the grand scheme of things.
I want us to ask ourselves the two questions above. For me, what’s going to matter in 25 years is my relationship with God and my relationship with my husband, kids, and friends. Sure there are lots of other things I hope will matter in my life (my job, creative work, etc.), but those things might not last until the end of my life.
Now I want us to think about the many things we stress about, spend our time on, and take our attention away from the things that really matter to us. If household chores or money or Instagram likes or other people’s opinions take up more space in our minds and hearts than the things we listed above (these are three of my own struggles but we each have our own), then something is out of alignment, and we need the help of the Holy Spirit to know what really matters and “gain the heart of wisdom” that Moses asks for.
God loves us so much that He is committed to helping us align our hearts with His, and I pray that reflecting on the things that will matter will stir you to chase after God and the most important things.