Almost...

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” -Acts 26:28

Almost is a word that really doesn’t make sense when you look at its composition. The word all is used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing. Most, meaning greatest in amount, quantity, or degree. These two words come together to make the word almost, meaning not quite; very nearly.

When we hear the word almost, it could take on a different meaning based on our perspective. It could be a sense of unrealized potential. I almost got the job. I almost got the car. If there were a few things that would have gone our way, those almost would be definitive statements. I got the job. I got into the university. I got the car.

On the other hand, those same unrealized potentials did not come to be. I almost died in the car crash. I almost ended in the hospital because of this sickness. I almost got fired from my job. I almost married them. I almost went to that party. I almost went to sleep. This same unrealized potential from a different perspective makes you grateful for the almost. God’s grace stepped in an allowed that almost to be a not yet. There are some things in life that we want, and God knows the magnitude of what will happen if we get them. He intervened and gave us a testimony of almost.

This last one is a dangerous one. Almost can bring one to a sense of complacency as if almost was the best that we can do. I almost made it. I almost had it. I almost went there. I almost got it. In situations like this, almost isn’t good enough. I almost got saved. I almost had a relationship with Jesus. I almost prayed. I almost studied. I almost got to heaven. Almost is missing the mark. There are things that are too important in life to almost get right.

You may be saying I have time. To be honest, time is almost up. There is going to come a time in our life when we won’t have the opportunity to get some things done. We won’t have a chance to make the right decisions. We won’t have a chance to say those words. Living in the almost is planning a trip to a place of regret. I almost said I love you, but I didn’t. I almost spent time with you, but I didn’t. I almost accepted salvation, but I didn’t.

Don’t let the important decisions be made in the land of almost. What will happen is that you all things that you waited to handle, most of their time is out. And that leaves you with questions of what happened. Be certain about your future, learn lessons from your almost successes, and be grateful that God’s grace said almost, but not yet.

Scripture Readings
Monday- Acts 26
Tuesday- Romans 12
Wednesday- Acts 20
Thursday-Psalms 37
Friday- Titus 2:11-15
Saturday- Colossians 2