The best thing that could ever happen to you
What’s the best thing that could ever happen to you? Your answer to that question probably governs almost everything in your life. Whatever you think is “the best thing” is what drives your motives, your dreams, your behaviors. Everything.
What’s your answer? Go ahead and take a minute to think about it. There are tons of answers: success, wealth, influence, family. My answer is admittedly weird. But I’ll give it to you to help stir some thoughts. Ready?
The best thing that could ever happen to me is that I’d be more like God.
That’s a wildly ambitious goal, isn’t it? I mean, most people want some extra cash or to find true love or to gain a following that offers some positive influence in the world. But me? I’m reaching well beyond my pay grade. I’m reaching for the God of the universe.
Ordinarily, I’d feel pretty self-conscious about that. But I don’t. Why? Because that’s the very thing that God has promised to give to me. He says that he chose me (and you) before the foundations of the world were even set to be made more like him (Rom. 8:29). Being more like God isn’t just something I want; it’s something God wants. Isn’t that ridiculous? It seems unreal. The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God wants me to be more like him.
The answer affects you
What most people don’t think about is the truth that whatever your answer to this question might be, it’s affecting you. It’s shaping your wishes, your thoughts, your behaviors, your daily and weekly goals. You are being molded, right now, to the answer you have. Most people don’t even think about their answer, let alone contemplate how it’s affecting their behavior. But that’s worth some thought. It will give you intentionality and focus for today.
In my case, I think about the character of God as self-sacrificing, loving, gracious, patient, kind, long-suffering, compassionate. And I say, “Yea! That’s what I want to be like. Before I die, I want to take that shape!” I know I’m far from the mark, but at least I know what the mark is. Do you know what your mark is? Do you know what it might look like to hit that mark?
Answer the question
This is meant to be a short, thought-provoking piece. So, I’m leaving it as it is. But I think you should answer the question for yourself. What’s the best thing that could ever happen to you? If you don’t have an answer, maybe do some soul-searching. Take a long walk. Sit in a room by yourself for a while. If you were to die tomorrow, what would be the one thing that you’d say, “Oh! But I never got to do _____.” Fill in that blank. Start there.
I’ll say it again: Your answer to this question governs everything. It’s shaping you right now. If you don’t know what it is, you might be spinning your tires in the mud.
Pierce Taylor Hibbs is an award-winning Christian wordsmith who strives to draw readers into the presence of God. He’s the author of several books, including Finding God in the Ordinary, The Speaking Trinity & His Worded World, Struck Down but Not Destroyed, Finding Hope in Hard Things, and The Book of Giving.