LIFE IS WHAT YOU MAKE IT – VIDEO AND DEVOTIONAL
- Feb 12
- 3 min read
When I wrote Life Is What You Make It, I was reaching back into the restless chambers of my teenage mind, the place where questions were louder than answers and comparison felt like a daily companion. I remember standing on the edge of who I was becoming, peering across the fence of my own life, convinced that the grass was greener somewhere else. The city lights looked brighter from a distance, sparkling with promise, whispering that fulfillment lived far away from home, far away from God, far away from the quiet work of becoming who my present life had prophesied for me.
As a teenager, change felt like a storm inside my chest. I wanted more, more excitement, more validation, and more certainty. I believed that if I could just get there, away from the slow country settled life, to the city, to the crowds, to a faster pace in life, then I would finally feel whole and complete. But longing can be deceptive. It paints pictures without showing the price tag. It magnifies what we lack and minimizes what we’ve been given.
What I didn’t understand then, but know now, is that life doesn’t magically transform when our scenery changes. Life responds to the choices we make, the seeds we plant, and the voices we allow to shape us. You can move to the city and still be lost. You can chase bright lights and still walk in darkness. And you can stay where you are and discover a purpose so rich it outshines every illusion you once chased.
This poem is a confession and a caution. It speaks to the heart that aches to escape, to the mind that believes “somewhere else” holds the answer. But the truth is, peace is not found in brighter lights, it is found in a sound mind with clearer direction. Joy isn’t discovered by running away; it is cultivated by learning who you are and whose you are.
God was patient with me during that season. While I was busy comparing my life to others, He was quietly preparing me, teaching me that growth is not always glamorous, and obedience is not always exciting, but both are holy. He showed me that the grass looks greener on the other side because we’re not the ones tending it, and that what we neglect will always look smaller than what we admire from afar.
This Scripture grounded me when I was so tired of being tired and found myself lost in darkness praying for direction: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12 (KJV)
That verse reminds me that feelings can mislead, and desire without discernment can destroy. What seems right isn’t always what is right. God’s way may not glitter like city lights, but it leads to life, peace, and truth.
Life Is What You Make It is ultimately an invitation, to pause, to reflect, and to choose wisely. You are not behind. You are not missing out. You are in process. And if you let God guide your steps, you’ll discover that the life you’re searching for isn’t waiting on the other side of the fence, it’s being built right where you are.
Heavenly Father, I thank You for walking with me through every season of change, especially when my heart was restless and my mind was unsure. Help me, and every reader of these words, to see life through Your truth and not through comparison or illusion. Teach us to trust Your timing, to value where we are, and to seek Your will above our own desires. Guard our hearts from deception and guide our steps in wisdom. Shape our minds, strengthen our faith, and help us make a life that honors You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen and To God Be The Glory!
Beloved, if this devotional has touched your heart and stirred your spirit, do not wait another moment. Take hold of the wisdom, guidance, and strength God has for you. Order your copy of Biblical Answers to Life’s Pressing Problems, Our 365 Day, Devotional today. Let His Word continue to equip you, heal you, and lead you through every challenge and every blessing.
Amazon copies can be bought here: https://a.co/d/hRrVBjz
For author-signed copies: https://www.robertaheckministries.org/inspirational-books
With love, faith, and fervent prayers,
Rev. Dr. Roberta M. Heck, Chaplain
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