Who will you be in the future?

Bible Reading: For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to breakdown and a time to build up; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. God has made everything suitable for its time; moreover God has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; moreover it is God's gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all they do.  Ecclesiastes 3: 1-13 (NRSV)

Reflection:

Think for a moment about 3 words you would use to describe yourself. What 3 words would your parents use? What 3 words would your friends use to describe you? What 3 words would your lecturers use to describe who you are? Are the words similar? Are they a true reflection of who you are?

Now imagine that you have walked into a room and come face to face with yourself as you will be in 10 years time. Imagine what you would talk about? What would you be doing? Where do you imagine you would be living and who with? Would you be proud of the person you meet? What might they advise you to change in your life as you are currently living it?

It is hard to imagine the future. Many people have a clear vision of what they hope to achieve, where they hope to be. These plans may be about family, children, work, faith. The reality is that none of us knows what the future holds, but what we do know is that who we will become is determined by who we are now, today. Who we become is determined by the decisions we make now. That is, the things we do, the friends we make, the place God is allowed in our lives, the way we treat others, the commitment we have to our studies, to our family and to ourselves. Are you proud of who you are now, of how you treat yourself, of how you treat others? Life is a gift from God and as the writer of Ecclesiates reminds us it will be filled with ups and downs, but ultimately it is a gift from God to be treasured and enjoyed.

What do you think God will think of how you have treated the gift of life you have been given. Is there anything you would like to change now about who you, are so that you can be proud of who you will be??

(Reflections are by Rev'd Jenny Willsher, Head of College, to support students of St Martin's College in their spiritual journey. Students are welcome to discuss the reflections further at anytime, just call in to my office.)