Another Trip Around the Sun... Did You Use it Well?

Another trip around the sun. Another year older. But what if birthdays are about more than age? In this episode of the Intentional Grounding Godcast, we explore what Scripture teaches about time, purpose, wisdom, and making every day count for God's Kingdom. Through Psalm 90, James 4, and Ephesians 5, we'll discover why every year is a gift and how God calls us to steward the life we've been given.

Whether you're celebrating a birthday, reflecting on a milestone, or simply grateful for another day, this message will encourage you to stop counting years and start making years count. God has sustained you this far, and He still has purpose for your life.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Another trip around the sun. 365 days. Some of us celebrate it with cake, candles, presents. Others celebrate it with gratitude because they never thought they'd make it this far. But here's the question: What did you do with the last trip that God gave you? Because another birthday isn't just about getting older, it's about getting another opportunity to live for the one who gave you life. Now, today we're going to talk about what another year really means from a biblical perspective and why every day is a gift from God and how to make sure your next trip around the sun has purpose and meaning and eternal impact. Well, welcome to the Intentional Grounding Godcast Letters to Isaiah. I'm your faith strategist, Coach Dombrowski, and I'm here to help you live out your walk, not just believe it. So I want to get into a little bit of scripture today. We're going to start with Psalm 90, verse 12. And it says, Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. All right, so Psalm 90, it is the only Psalm written by Moses. Moses had witnessed entire generations come and go. And he saw people spend years wandering the wilderness. He understood something that many people forget. Life is shorter than we think. All right. Moses didn't pray for more days. He prayed to number his days. And the Hebrew idea around it is not counting birthdays, it's understanding that life is valuable because it's limited. You know what I'm saying? Every sunrise is a gift. Every conversation, it matters. Every opportunity to love and forgive or to serve and grow, it matters. God never promised us an unlimited number of trips around the sun. He simply asks us to steward the ones we're given. You know, God values our time because he gave it to us, guys. Life isn't an accident, it's an assignment. Now, another piece of scripture, James 4.14, says, why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Well, James here is speaking to people making plans without considering God. They were assuming tomorrow was guaranteed. James reminds them that life is fragile, right? This verse isn't meant to depress us, it's meant to awaken us. And many people live as though they'll always have another chance, another opportunity, another conversation, another year. But scripture teaches us that every day is precious because none of us know how many of them remain. Now, I do know that God wants us to live intentionally and not fearfully, right? Nor anxiously, but purposefully. Now, this third scripture that I want to bring in here is one I've mentioned before. And it's Ephesians 5, verse 15 and 16. And it says, Be very careful then how you live, not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. So this is Paul, all right. Paul is teaching believers how to walk wisely in the broken world. The phrase making the most of every opportunity means redeeming the time, buying it back, right? Not wasting it. And every year we're given is an opportunity to become more Christ-like, not just older, right? Not just busier, but actually wiser, more loving, more faithful, more surrendered. Now, God isn't measuring your life by the number of years that you live. Many people they approach birthdays the wrong way. They say, Well, how old am I getting? And God says, Well, how are you growing? You know, the world measures our age, but God measures the maturity, right? The world celebrates the years and God celebrates faithfulness. Literally, you can spend 50 years running from God, right? Or spend five years fully surrendered to Him and leave a legacy that impacts generations to come. Right? Another trip around the sun isn't proof of your strength. It's evidence of God's grace. You woke up today because God wasn't finished with your story, but you still have breath because God still has a purpose. You still have opportunities because God still has plans for your life. I mean, take a moment really and ask yourself, oh, who do I need to forgive? Or what obedience have I been delaying? Or what calling have I been avoiding? Maybe there's a relationship that needs restoration. You know, how can I glorify God more this year than last? I mean, don't just celebrate surviving another year. Celebrate stepping into the next one with purpose, right? Maybe this birthday feels different. Maybe you're grieving someone who isn't here anymore. Maybe you thought life would look different by now. Maybe you're facing challenges that you never expected. You have to remember that your circumstances do not determine God's faithfulness. The very fact that you're still here means God is still working. The story isn't over. You know, stop saying things like, I've got plenty of time, and start saying, Lord, help me use this time that you have given me. That's where the wisdom begins. All right. And if you continue living intentionally, you'll discover something very powerful. Peace doesn't come from knowing how many years you have left. Peace comes from knowing who holds them. You'll stop chasing significance and start living purposefully. You're gonna stop counting the years and start making the years count. You know, tomorrow morning, when your feet hit the floor, remember like you've been given another day that somebody else would love to have had. So treat it like the gift that it is. Pray intentionally, love deeply, you know, serve faithfully and walk closely with Christ. The older that we get, the more we realize. Birthdays aren't really about age, they're about perspective. Amen. When we're young, we count how many years we've gained. As we mature, we begin counting the blessings. Instead, you know, we realize that every year contained victories and losses, laughter and tears, answered prayers and waiting seasons. And through all of it, God remained faithful. So think about where God brought you from. Think about the prayers he answered, think about the doors he opened, think about the storms he carried you through. Man, think about the moments when you felt like giving up. But somehow God gave you enough strength for one more step. Another trip around the sun isn't just a reminder that you're older, it's a reminder that God sustained you. And if he sustained you through the last year, he's gonna be faithful to you in the next one. You know, years from now, nobody's gonna remember how many candles are on your cake. They're gonna remember how you treated, how you loved, how you served, how you represented Christ. The greatest legacy isn't a long life, it's a life that pointed others towards Jesus. Now, to my grandson Isaiah, one day you're gonna celebrate many birthdays. You're gonna count candles, open the presents, wonder how fast time moves. But I want you to remember something. Every year is a gift from God. Don't spend your life counting the year, spend your life making a difference. Love God, love people, stand for the truth, and walk with integrity. And remember that every trip around the sun is another opportunity to glorify the one who created it. Love Jaji. I mean, imagine someone handed you a priceless gift and said, use it wisely. That's exactly what God's done with your life. Another trip around the sun isn't simply another year older, it's another year of grace, another year of opportunity, another year to grow and serve, love, forgive, and follow Christ more closely than ever. So celebrate, be grateful, make this next year count. Well, thanks for joining me. If this message encourages you, take a moment, thank God for another year of your life, and then share this message with someone celebrating a birthday, entering a new season, or needing a reminder that every day is a gift from God. Keep leaning in, keep growing, keep grounding yourself in God's truth. And if you're committed to doing that, man, you're right on track. Lock it in, guys. Subscribe, hit that subscribe button, join us here, and let's let's grow together. Until next time, Coach Dombrowski out. I'll be praying for you.