The Shape Of Things To Come

Have you ever thought about shapes, or even more specifically, the shapes of objects? If you look up the definition of “shape” in the dictionary, you get something like this:

shape
SHāp/ 

noun

1. the external form or appearance characteristic of someone or something; the outline of an area or figure.
2. the particular condition or state of someone or something.

Remember back in school having to learn about the math behind shapes? Square, triangle, trapezoid, parallelogram and of course all those “gons” like pentagon, hexagon and octagon, each of those serving a specific purpose.

Some shapes don't always stay the same. Sometimes the shape of things can change due to other factors. For example, a rock in a stream over time will have it’s shape changed
by the water that runs over it continually. On a larger scale, take a look at the Grand Canyon. Its shape has been changing for thousands of years into something magnificent.

What about people? People come in all kinds of shapes, large, small, tall, short etc. And how often do we hear someone say, “I need to get in shape” or “I’m really out of shape”. Often they’ll do something about it like exercise to change their shape. I’m a big fan of the TV show “The Biggest Loser”.  Those people really change their shapes big time.

When you consider people, we can, not only take a look at their physical shape, but their shape mentally, emotionally and even spiritually. Consider this, a shape is not only a noun, but in the dictionary it is also defined as a verb.

verb
1.    give a particular shape or form to.

When you look at a person in this regard, so many aspects come into play. Most of all, the kind of life they have lived or, are living now. Have you ever taken a good look at your own life to see what kind of shape you’re in? I’m not talking about physical shape, but the shape of your life. Is it clean? Is it messy? Is it out of control?

Earlier, I mentioned how sometimes, the shape of things can change, and that holds true for people to. This leads to something huge…the shape of a life.

The shape of our lives is continually changing. Often the shape changes by the choices we make whether they are good choices or bad. In some cases it changes because of things that are beyond our control. For example, someone who is in a car accident, or loses a job or even gets a terrible disease, the shape of their lives are changed, but not by choice. Our lives are constantly changing shape by events, but more importantly, by the people who are or were in our lives.

What person in your life helped shape your life? Who helped make you into the person you are today? Was it your parents, a teacher in school, a best friend, a co-worker, or your spouse? These are the important people who played a part in forming us into who we are today. There is one other person who plays the biggest role of all in our formation…God. Scripture tells us “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,” (Jeremiah 1:5). This means He gave you the form (shape) you were meant to be, and not only that, He continues to do so all the time. He never stops forming us…if we let Him do so. So many people don’t even know God and how important it is to have Him in our lives. Yet, the ones who do know this, understand how vital it is to make Him the most important person in our life. He wants to show us how to live. He wants us to be the best person we can be. He wants to shape our lives into the same shape as His. But we can only do that if we let Him.

We often try to live our lives according to the way we want, and do the things we want to do, which is only natural as human beings. But as I have read and heard so many times, we are created as His children, to know and follow Him. That requires living a life that is shaped not by our choices or our decisions, but by God’s. He asks a lot of us, but in return, He gives us so much more.

Earlier, I asked if you’ve taken a long, hard look at your life to see what kind of shape you’re in. What do you see? Do you have the things you want or need? Are you fulfilled by the things you have or by the people you are close to? Are you satisfied with your life? Is something missing? Is the shape of your life the shape you want to see? Is the shape of your life what you want others to see? Every one of these questions can be answered by asking yourself another question first.

Am I letting God shape my life?

If the answer is no, then maybe it’s time to include Him and let him start shaping your life into something amazing.

If you have God in your life, but only in a small way and you don’t give Him your time and attention or He’s just a passing thought now and then or if you only think of Him in times of need, then chances are, that when you step back and take a look at what kind of shape your life is in, you may see that the shape is a bit odd, disproportionate, or that there may even be pieces missing from that shape.

If the answer is yes, then you are on the right track to getting “in shape”. I use the word “getting” in shape as opposed to, “you’re already” in shape because shaping your life is an ongoing process and ultimately, the final shape of your life takes place when we stand before Him and say, “here I am Lord, this is who I am”. And who you are depends on how you let God help you shape your life. You cannot do it alone and He cannot do it all for you. It’s a partnership and you MUST work together. And the harder you work, the better your shape will be. Yes, there will always be a few rough edges, but in the end He’ll smooth out those rough edges for you and the shape that He will see when He looks at you will be perfect.

So what are you waiting for? Start getting in shape. Here are some suggestions to help you along the way:

• Start each day by saying “good morning” to Jesus and ask Him to guide you through the day and begin each day with a morning offering.
• Spend some quiet time each day and talk to God or say a short prayer.
• Listen for His voice throughout the day.
•  Look for Him in others and see how He is using others in YOUR life to help shape you.
• Read scripture. Simply open your Bible anywhere and read a passage and see if it is saying anything to you.
• Get a Daily Devotion book. There are many available at most Christian stores. One in particular that I love is called, “Jesus Calling” and when I read these short devotions each day, I always find something that will lift me up and inspire me.
• Pray before your meals. Tell him thank you for the food on your table that HE has provided for you.
• Say Goodnight to Jesus when you go to bed. Even if you had a bad day, tell him thank you because everything that happens to you each day, good or bad, is for a reason.

Here are a few more, but these are the big ones, the ones that will to the most good for getting in shape.

• Go to confession. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is your opportunity to be healed, to let God forgive you for the sins you commit and for all the ways you have offended him.
• Go to Mass EVERY week. Don’t miss Mass. It is the biggest opportunity to spend time not only with God, but spend time with an entire Catholic community. Mass is not only a requirement, but it is the time each week when we come together to celebrate everything we believe as Catholics. IT IS THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO!
• Receive the Eucharist. This is the source and summit of EVERYTHING we believe in. It is our spiritual food, it is our nourishment, it is the ONLY way to have Jesus truly inside of you.

There is much more I could say about the shape of our lives, but now it’s time for you to get in shape. Good luck and God bless.