The Shelf Life: How Long 'til I Expire?

Kolleen Lucariello always surprises me with her fresh approach to pracitcal Christian living. In this Spiritual Life UPGRADE, she points us to three biblical examples to help us meditate on the length of our lives and how we might upgrade what is left of them."When life came to a standstill in March of 2020, I decided there was no better time to rip apart a closet," Kolleen says. "That's when it hit me—expiraton dates are sneaky."

Normally, I (Dawn) think of an "expiration date" as painful—or at the least, unpleasant; but there is a certain wisdom to thinking about it when it comes to life, as Kolleen explains.

Kolleen continues . . .

I’d always wanted a pantry, and the closet in the mudroom had become a catchall for any and every item. It was packed full of food, serving platters, and anything out-of-season; or anything without a proper home.

 Based upon the expiration date stamped upon the bottom of many spices, jello packages, and canned fruit, once an item entered through the bi-fold door, chances were good they might never find their way out again. They had become SHELF-SITTERS, just waiting to be used. 

Waiting on a shelf.

I can relate.

I recall seasons in my life when I found myself sitting upon the shelf of God’s time—waiting for Him to reveal the expiration date indicating my time was done. 

Waiting is difficult.

• I grow restless.
• I question God.
• I repent.
• Sometimes, I even beg.

Waiting is not my favorite thing to do. Is it yours? Probably not.

Yet, it is often a non-negotiable participant somewhere in our story, isn’t it?

Why does God allow us time on the shelf?

Of course, God alone knows His reasons for all that He does; but I think shelf life leads to upgrades.

Here’s how.

1. TRUST

Sometimes, God finds it necessary to place us on the shelf when our disobedience gets in the way of His plan.

Jonah became a shelf-sitter in the belly of a whale when he decided to run from what God asked him to do—go and share His plan of judgment with the people of Nineveh.

Sure, Jonah’s disobedience to God gave him peace—for a moment; but, it had a great impact on the sailors whose boat Jonah boarded. They feared for their lives, lost wages, and finally were put in the miserable position of needing to toss him overboard with the rest of what they’d already lost.

(Have you ever wondered why Jonah didn’t just jump when he realized He was indeed the reason for the storm?)

It’s just awful when a disobedient Jonah enters our boat. I costs us peace, finances, and may even lead to extremely difficult decisions.

No matter how hard you row, God may move people to the shelf when they can’t be trusted to follow His instruction, or don’t have the courage to remove "Jonah" from the boat.

2. TIMING

Shelf-sitting befalls us when we find ourselves waiting upon God’s timing.

While we may be more than ready for our dream or plan to come to fruition, God has His own agenda and time-table in mind.

It’s always been far different than mine. 

Hannah was a woman who endured the pain and frustration of waiting on God’s time.

She lived through a long, out-of-reach wait, while suffering intense longing over her barrenness. Barrenness is a heartache that, unless you have walked through it, is difficult to understand.

Hannah’s husband, Elkanah couldn’t; he thought she should be happy she had HIM!

“‘Why are you crying, Hannah?’ Elkanah would ask. ‘Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?’” (1 Samuel 1:8 NLT).

Ummm… no. Just no.

It’s difficult enough to remain patient and trust God hasn’t forgotten us sitting on the shelf, but when those closest to us question our emotional moments—

• “Why are you…?"
• "Just because you don’t have …. Be grateful for what you do have.”

Ouch!

There’s a time to just sit beside someone as they wait and wrestle it out with God.

3. TESTING

Remember the Israelites and their time in the wilderness? Scripture says the Lord led them through the wilderness for forty years to humble and test them—in order to prove their character and to find out whether or not they would obey his commands (Deuteronomy 8:2).

They grumbled. They complained.

I doubt they were thinking about character development as they set up camp year after year.

During my own wilderness wanderings—those dry seasons when God feels distant—I’ve grumbled. I’ve complained. I’ve hoped God would lift me up and notice the expiration date was soon approaching.

How often I fail to recognize God might have a bit of character development in store for me.

Paul reminds us,

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment” (Romans 5:3-4, NLT).

Our time on the shelf of waiting might not be so exasperating to us if we remember, God is rarely early, never late, and always shows up right on time. He’s going to add us to the mix at just the right time.

As we wait, we might ask:

• Can I be trusted?
• Can I trust His timing? 
• What can I learn during the test? 

Have you thought much lately about your "expiration date"? What life upgrades can you make to create a better Shelf Life?

Kolleen Lucariello is a writer, speaker, and the author of the book, #beYOU: Change Your Identity One Letter at a Time. Kolleen also co-directs Activ8Her, Inc., a woman’s ministry endeavoring to Activ8Her potential to influence, affect and unite the world for God’s glory. Kolleen advocates for others to live the abundant life Christ died for them to have by understanding their true identity is found in Christ. Kolleen lives in Central New York with her husband, Pat. She is mom to three married children, and Mimi to her six grandchildren. Learn more about Kolleen at her website.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Samantha Gades at Unsplash.

A Rut's Just a Grave Open at Both Ends

Deb DeArmond focuses on relationships and conflict resolution, but in this Personal Growth UPGRADE, she addresses the topic of boredom in our work and ministries, and how we can instead look forward to new adventures with God.

Deb's friend asked her questions: “How long can you keep this up? Aren’t you tired of training the same program with the exact same materials every week—sometimes twice a week?”

I (Dawn) sometimes get on the treadmill of sameness, because it's a comfortable place to be. I can just accept my rut, but God calls me to be more open to His plans.

Deb continues . . .

My friend looked mystified. “It’s bound to get pretty boring," she said. "I couldn’t handle the monotony.”

My friend was referring to a major business project for an important client.

For 30 weeks this year, I will work with folks across the country in two-day training sessions, with two different groups scheduled each week.

The material remains the same; it’s one of this company’s non-negotiables to insure consistency across the nation. No spontaneous additions of something new or tweaking the content to relieve the potential boredom.

Achieving identical outcomes in Kansas this week as we did in Texas last week requires consistent input. It’s always the same, with one exception.

The people, of course, are different in each location.

From soup to nuts—and on occasion, there are a few of those—the participants are as diverse as they could possibly be.  

And therein lies the variety that keeps me showing up every week, excited to work with these fine folks.

They’ve taught me as much as I’ve taught them, and I’ve met interesting people with fascinating stories. I feel blessed each day I’m with them.

It’s a routine, but not a rut.

A rut is just a grave open at both ends. I’m not ready to jump in there quite yet, but I understood my friend’s observation.

The Oxford dictionary defines rut this way: “a habit or pattern of behavior that has become dull and unproductive but is hard to change.” Routine can create boredom.

But it’s easy.

It’s stress-free to show up, day after day, doing the same old thing. The routine becomes familiar and safe, if nothing else.

It’s tempting, even, to choose a path that makes few demands on us. We know how the day will come together—a no-surprise assignment.

We settle so easily.

A full life in Christ demands we explore possibilities, push past the humdrum, and place ourselves on notice: today could be the day Jesus shakes it all up. We should anticipate and actively prepare for the moment, so as it happens, we are ready to go with His flow!

Variety is indeed an essential ingredient to live fully in Him.

I doubt the disciples would have described their lives as boring.

• Peter walked on water.
• Paul survived a shipwreck.
• John in the wilderness.

Yeah, maybe not all fun and games, but never a snooze! And they each needed to make a clear decision to follow the Spirit of the Lord in the specific mission he had for each of them.

Life in Christ Can Be an Adventure.

Think of Queen Esther:

And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14 NLT).

If we are prepared, we too may find our comfortable routines disturbed for such a time as this.

It’s a time that demands we stand firm on His Word yet move out of that familiar safe zone to fulfill His design for our lives.

Shake up the predictable and climb up out of your rut.

I’m not suggesting we should all quit our jobs, live like gypsies, and hit the road. Take one step at a time. And remember, there are great rewards waiting! Start small.

Ask yourself:

• What are the tasks or routines that, although once were enjoyable, no longer engage me spiritually, mentally and/or emotionally?
• What am I doing that I wish I weren’t?
• What holds me there?
• What interests me?
• What’s my first step to get involved or engaged?
• What’s the risk of stepping in?
• What’s the risk of NOT doing it?

Don't be afraid to explore new possibilities and actively prepare for your next adventure with God!

Are you in a rut? What might God want you to change or consider as you move forward?

Deb DeArmond is an expert in the fields of communication, relationship and conflict resolution. A writer and popular professional speaker, Deb focuses on topics related to the family and women. Deb’s books include: Related by Chance, Family by Choice on the topic of in-law relationships. I Choose You Today includes tips and strategies for making love last and she and her hubby cover marital conflict in Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! Deb’s most recent release is Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes, a humorous devotional. All available on Amazon. Read about Deb at Family Matters/Deb DeArmond and My Purpose Now. Her website is www.debdearmond.com.