Everything in life has an expiration date. Plans change, things move on, people come and go. What was here one day may be gone the next. We move through our lives not knowing what tomorrow holds.
This is something I've learned, both painfully and beautifully, these past few months. One day you could have dreams and the next day those dreams be shattered. But also one day you could have dreams, and the next day they come true. The point is that we have no idea what the future holds. What tomorrow holds. What even the rest of the day holds.
The phrase 'expiration date' is one that I have come to loathe. I've loathed the fact that there are incredible things in my life that have an end time on them. Every time I've heard those words, they've been used to crush dreams, remove hopes, squash excitement. But God is working in me, even now as I write this. He is working in me to change around what I see as something that I can only associate with horrible times, into something that can be seen as good. As something to be excited about.
This evening the phrase 'expiration date' was once again brought up. It was used in a way that wasn't in my favour. The second I heard those words, I deflated. Lost all hope. Was filled with nothing but sadness. I became bitter at the fact that 'expiration dates' were always going to haunt me and every good thing that happened to me. Became angry towards the whole situation and those involved. But later on in the evening, as I was sat dwelling on things and processing what had happened, God began a work in me. He showed me that the phrase 'expiration date' isn't only usable negatively, but that it can also mean incredibly positive things.
Remember my Christmas List? (read about it here) One of the things on that list was 'Healing from my flying fear.' Now this is a huge thing for me. My biggest fear in life. I haven't been able to get on a plane for 6 years. The sight of planes made me fearful; the thought of flying gave me panic attacks; I couldn't even pick someone up from an airport because being there would scare me too much. BUT. Tonight, as I was crying and ranting to God about why, yet again, an expiration date has caused something great to end, He reminded me of my Christmas List. That fear, He said, has an expiration date. That date is next Monday, when you fly to Copenhagen. Wow. Hearing that worked wonders in me. Now, not only have I got something good to look forward to amidst this bad, and not only will I soon be able to tick another thing off my Christmas List, but also my outlook has changed. I've realised that expiration dates don't always have to be a bad thing. I've been focusing too much on the bad endings - holidays, relationships, Summer, childhood - and not realising the endings of the bad things - illness, fear, sadness, struggle.
This difference in perspective is going to change my life. I'll be able to take the bad, knowing that alongside it there is good. Yes it still absolutely sucks that good things have had to end, but it's even more incredible that bad things have ended. If there are negative expiration dates plaguing your life, take a moment to step back and look at the positive expiration dates. It's like the classic example of how those in the 3rd world can have nothing and be happier than those in the 1st world with everything. It's all a matter of perspective. Those in the 1st world are ungrateful that they've not got the latest technology, or a big enough house, or a well paid job. Those in the 3rd world are joyful at the fact that they've survived the day. We can be like the 1st world people, and let a pessimistic and ungrateful view ruin our happiness, or we can be like the 3rd world people, and gain an optimistic and grateful view that fills us with joy at the wonderful work God has done and is doing in our lives. Even better, come to the realisation that although things in life (and even life itself) have an expiration date, God doesn't.
God is. God was. God always will be.