A Mis-lived Life

A well-lived life is an inherent unfolding of human existence. However, it is neither automatic nor guaranteed simply because we live it in any way. We can mis-live our lives, and tragically, we may never even realize it.

Mathew Kelly, an Australian motivational speaker, explains that a mis-lived life is a poorly lived life, the direct opposite of a well-lived life. He further adds, “It means to lead a life marked by wasted potential and misalignment with all that is good, true, just, and noble.” We can waste our God-given gifts and talents, or use them for the wrong purposes. We can miss our true purpose in life and overlook what is truly valuable and beautiful.

Mis-living our lives isn’t difficult. Kelly reminds us that it only takes consistent mediocrity, laziness, procrastination, obsession with material possessions, and self-centeredness. You can mis-live your life, I can mis-live mine, and anyone can mis-live theirs. It can be hard to detect whether we are mis-living, especially in a society where so many people are unaligned with their true nature and purpose. We may mistakenly assume our lives are well-lived simply because everyone else seems to be living in the same way.

It requires humility and courage to pause, reflect, and examine whether our hearts and actions align with what God created us to be. A well-lived life is a joy and a blessing to others. In contrast, a mis-lived life is a deep pit of sadness, leaving us with a continuous sense of emptiness and hopelessness, despite outward success.

Can we create space in our lives to regularly check whether we are living as God intended?

 

 

Notes

Kelly, M. (2024). The three ordinary voices of God (p. 2). Blue Sparrow.