My Time Here is Short, Like a Mist

James 4:14 (ESV)

“Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

As I immerse myself in the book of James, I’m struck by how its timeless truth speaks directly to our world today. Wars rage in Ukraine, violence erupts in the Middle East, and innocent lives are lost in parts of Africa. Unrest seems to permeate every corner of the earth. Where does this chaos stem from? James 4:1-2 provides a piercing answer:

“What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel.”

The root of conflict lies in our selfish desires—our craving for what we cannot or should not have. Wars, whether global or personal, are fueled by greed, pride, and unchecked ambition. As followers of Jesus, we’re called to a higher standard. James 4:3 reminds us why our prayers sometimes go unanswered:

“You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.”

When our motives are rooted in selfishness, God withholds what we seek, for He desires our hearts to align with His will. These days, I feel inspired and moved to read God’s Word. Not long ago, I struggled to trudge through Hebrews, but James brings a new light, guiding me to become a better person in my fleeting existence before God. I’m reminded that my time here is short, like a mist, and a life outside God’s will is full of chaos. Thank you, Jesus, for the reminder that a life in You is no longer my own, but Yours living in me. As Galatians 2:20 (ESV) declares:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Instead of chasing fleeting pleasures, we’re called to humility and surrender. James 4:7-8 offers a clear path forward:

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.”

This is the antidote to the world’s chaos: submission to God, resistance to temptation, and a heart that seeks Him above all else. Life is fleeting, but we can anchor ourselves in the eternal by drawing near to God. As Psalm 73:25-26 (ESV) encourages us:

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

In a world of unrest, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and trust that He will guide us through the fleeting mist of this life into His eternal presence.

---

God Bless 💕👍