The Time That is Given to Us
By: Mission Team
"I wish it need not have happened in my time said Frodo. 'So do I, said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” -Gandalf
This is quite possibly the most factual statement made by any man and it makes sense that it is a wizard that says it. Like, let’s be real here. In the moment before you think that Gandalf is gonna be all sappy with Frodo and say, “Yeah I know it sucks you have to go through this, but stay strong” or whatever. He instead says that he wishes that this didn’t have to happen to him (Frodo) but he tells Frodo that he is given a choice to do something great. And we all know how the story goes: Frodo takes the Ring of Power and destroys it, saving Middle Earth. So why am I bringing up this topic? I bring it up for the specific line “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” God has given us time on this earth and sometimes it sucks, while other times it’s great. And in that, we are given choices throughout our life. So the question is posed, what do we do with this time that we have?
James 4:14 says “You have no idea what your life will be like tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears.” We are here very briefly, and we may only have today. So what are you going to do with the time that is given to you? Are you going to waste it watching cat videos on YouTube, which Frodo probably would have preferred, or are you going to be like Frodo and destroy the Ring of Power? We are only but a puff of smoke that is here for a moment and a reason, God has called all of us, but He is a gentleman and will not force us to do anything. We are given Free Will and with that, we can choose. Do we save the world or not? Let me put this into another form of context for you to hopefully bring my point to better light.
I hurt my rib at a point in time. It hurt a lot, totally thought that I had broken it, but alas I didn’t. When I hurt myself non the less I had to do PT, while everyone else was working out, playing basketball, or whatever, I was sitting on the sidelines. I remember telling one of my bros that I learned my humility lesson and that God could heal me now. But I still had to go through the 4weeks of healing. I was talking to my mom on a day when it was really hurting to the point where I was really struggling to breathe. I said, “Why did this have to happen, I don’t understand what God wants from me?!” And my mom said, “Maybe someone really needs your prayers right now and God is giving you an opportunity to help them through your suffering.” This was precisely what Frodo was put up with, his burden was the Ring mine was my hurt rib, but both had a choice involved. Either I complain and do nothing about it or do something with the time that is given. I hope this story helps you better understand. But there is one more thing I want to touch on. I mentioned the Bible verse James 4:14, and how it says that you are just a puff of smoke. Well, you see the reason being is because that’s the darn truth. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow, heck we aren’t even guaranteed the whole day. That’s something that you can complain about or do something about. If tomorrow doesn’t come what are you going to do with the time that you have today? Are you going to use it for yourself? Or are you going to use it to change the world? It’s up to you. If you think you can’t do it, just remember, Frodo was a little guy, about 3 ft tall and yet he traveled far and wide almost dying several times, and yet he saved the world. If he can do it, why can’t we? God Bless, and stay strong. I’ll catch you, peeps, on the flip side!
