Our Lives: Check, Double-Check

Everyone pauses at some point during the day to check in on their lives. We evaluate where we are and where we’re going—sometimes consciously, sometimes simply out of habit.

For the Christian, this often looks like holding one’s life up before the Lord and asking, “How am I doing, Lord?” or “What’s next? What should I do now?”

But even those who are not saved go through a similar process. They measure their current situation, ask whether they’re progressing, and often base their sense of success on tangible things—money in the bank, bills paid, vacations planned.

Every day, we ask ourselves countless questions about our lives, our bodies, our relationships, and our goals. And we always get answers.

Some are encouraging. “I’m doing great. Finances are stable. A promotion is coming. I’m heading to the Florida Keys next month.”

Others are not. “I’ve gained too much weight. My spouse seems distant. My boss doesn’t value me. I’ll never get that promotion.”

We were designed with an inner mechanism for self-evaluation. Some people learn to silence it, but for many, it is always active.

So the real question becomes this: What standard are we using to measure ourselves? What is the plumbline we are comparing our lives to?

Is it tradition? What our parents taught us? The opinions of friends? A supervisor’s approval? Or something as shallow as the number of followers we have online? The tools we use to evaluate our lives matter.

Problems arise when we use the wrong tools. Who actually gets to decide whether we measure up—our parents, our peers, our employer?

The only accurate standard is the Lord’s perspective. That is the true plumbline.

David said in Psalm 51:4, “Against You, and You only, have I sinned.” Paul echoes this truth in 1 Corinthians 3, where he describes our works being tested by fire—some burning away like stubble, others remaining because they are pleasing to God.

That tells us something vital. God alone defines what is acceptable. Not our boss. Not our parents. Not our peers.

So how do we know when the Lord approves of our actions, our goals, and our direction in life?

We often hear the phrase, “Tune out the world and tune in to Jesus.” But how do we actually do that?

If you are not yet saved, there is only one place to begin—believe in Jesus Christ and make Him Lord of your life. That means giving Him full control: every area, every decision. When He is truly in charge, your life begins to align with God’s design, and your evaluations take on eternal value.

For the believer, our standard of evaluation must come from the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. He is the One who gives wisdom and perspective. Through His voice, we are led to lay some things down and take up others in their place.

If we listen closely and follow Him faithfully, one day we will hear the voice of Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

That moment—and only that moment—is the truest measure of success.

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