We all have good days and bad days. There are times when we lose touch with ourselves and what we ultimately want in life. If this is your first time on this blog, I’m taking the 70 resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and going through 1 each day. Edwards’ 18th resolution was…

Resolved, To live so, at all times, as I think is best in my most devout frames, and when I have the clearest notions of the things of the gospel, and another world.

What he is saying here is that he’s going to make decisions on how to live when he is in his best frame of mind. When he is remembering and thinking about what matters most, it’s then that he’s going to decide how to live his life. Then when he has his darker days he’ll live based on the perspective he had in his brighter days. This is a good way of managing yourself. If you’re having a bad day you might think that you never want to work out again because it’s just too hard. It’s probably wise to not let decisions that flow out of a negative mentality to drive your whole life.

Edwards believed that Jesus died and rose from the dead. He believed that this life is not all there is. There were times when he kept those things in mind and times when he did not. He is saying in this resolution that he wants to live life from the clearest perspective that he possibly can. If you’re like most people, it’s rare that you reflect much on the lens through which you see life. Most people tend to trust the way they see things as though their perspective was generally always right on. This can be a dangerous assumption.

Our minds can easily drift from our most profound values into assumptions and patterns of thinking that do not reflect who we truly are. What safeguards can we build around us to ensure we connect to our core desires and wants?

1. Spend time in prayer and reflection

God is ultimate reality and his perspective is never encumbered by the snares of this life. It would make sense for us to hear from him on a daily basis if we seek to live lives of significance and value.

2. Have people close to us who know us well

Who do you have in your life that keeps you connected to who you truly are? These people can act as mirrors that help us to remember what is most important. Don’t keep people in your life who just tell you what you want to hear.

3. Be honest with yourself

Our bodies let us know when we’re sick and our souls have a way of letting us know when we’re not doing well internally. Have the courage to acknowledge what’s really going on.

Edwards was onto something here. We must realize that our perspective can be our greatest asset or our greatest liability. Let’s remember to continually enforce the values and truths that we seek to live our lives from.