Am I Wasting My Life? How to Build a Life That Really Matters

Everything is getting done. But what if the most important things aren’t?

You answer the emails. You pay the bills. You show up at work, get the kids where they need to go, help your parents, and keep everybody’s schedule moving. The day ends, and the list still isn’t finished. Worse, there may be little time left to listen to someone you love, pray, or ask whether your life is actually headed where you want it to go.

I can get everything done and still miss what matters most. That’s the uncomfortable question at the heart of this message. If you’ve wondered whether you’re wasting your life, Jesus offers a way to rethink your foundation, your priorities, and the kind of life that will last.

Listen to the message

Faith That Outlives You · Pastor Chris Fluitt · November 1, 2026

Listen to Pastor Chris Fluitt’s message, Faith That Outlives You, from the Legacy Code series. Follow along with the handout and sermon outline below.

Download or open the Week 1 message MP3

Message resources

Follow along with the original FCC Allen materials, including the fill-in handout and Pastor Chris’s complete preaching outline.

Why are we so busy doing things that won’t last?

Pastor Chris has multiple to-do lists. He jokes that he even needs a to-do list to remember to make more to-do lists. Calls, meetings, bills, groceries, and responsibility after responsibility fill the pages. He genuinely enjoys checking things off.

But listening to his wife, spending time with his children, encouraging others, and time with God might never make the list. Urgent things crowd out important things. Sometimes we give our best to what is temporary—and our leftovers to what could last forever.

What you live becomes what you leave. The question is whether we are living what we want to leave.

What does it mean to build a life that really matters?

Jesus points us toward three changes: build on a foundation that lasts, give your best to what lasts, and live a genuine faith that can influence others.

1. Build on what will hold when life gets hard

Matthew 7:24–27 describes two people who built houses. Both heard Jesus’ words. Both experienced the storm. But only one put His words into practice. That builder’s house stood on rock; the other house fell because its foundation could not hold.

The difference wasn’t who heard the best sermon or who knew the most about the Bible. The difference was obedience. Jesus calls us to make His words part of how we actually live.

The most important part of your life may be the part nobody sees.

A beautiful house can hide a failing foundation. So can a successful-looking life. What happens in your private decisions, marriage, parenting, friendships, and integrity matters, even when nobody applauds it.

Try this: Choose one teaching of Jesus and practice it this week. Forgive someone. Tell the truth. Pray before making a big decision. Let the foundation become visible through your choices.

2. Don’t give your whole life to what you can’t keep

In Matthew 6:19–21, Jesus contrasts earthly treasure—things that wear out, disappear, or can be taken—with treasure that lasts. He says where our treasure is, our heart will be also.

Careers, homes, savings, and plans can be good responsibilities. But they make poor ultimate purposes. When work gets the best hours and family gets the exhausted leftovers, our actual priorities may not match what we say matters.

What really deserves your time and energy?

Look at your calendar. Look at your spending. Look at who receives your attention. Then ask: Am I giving my best to what I say matters most?

Try this: Make one deliberate trade this week. Say no to something that is simply urgent so you can say yes to something lasting: an unhurried conversation, worship, prayer, generosity, or serving someone.

3. A lived faith can reach farther than you imagine

In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul recalls the sincere faith of Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. In 2 Timothy 3:14–15, he calls Timothy to continue in what he learned from people who taught him the Scriptures.

We don’t know which possessions Lois and Eunice left to Timothy. But their faith mattered enough to be remembered nearly two thousand years later.

Parents can show their children what praying and following Jesus look like in ordinary moments. Grandparents can share stories of God’s faithfulness and invite younger family members to worship. People without children can encourage younger friends, neighbors, or those they mentor.

You can’t leave it if you don’t live it.

You cannot force another person to have faith. You can pray, invite, encourage, and model a faith that is real. Your faith today may shape someone else’s tomorrow.

Jesus didn’t come to hand you another to-do list

The answer is not simply trying harder. Jesus said He came so that people may have life, and have it to the full (John 10:10).

Jesus died for our sins and rose again. He offers forgiveness, new life, and a relationship with God. That life begins with receiving what Jesus gives, not by earning it through a better schedule. When we trust and follow Him, His love reshapes our priorities, decisions, and relationships.

You can start with Jesus today. Bring Him your doubts, your questions, and the life you actually have—not the life you wish you had already built.

Three next steps you can take this week

Your response can begin right now: Start a conversation about Jesus. Put one action into practice this week. Or respond to Him in prayer today.

Free Legacy Code Workbook

You don’t have to figure out your purpose alone. This free workbook offers prompts and practical steps for faith, character, generosity, and love. Reflect on the life you are living and the legacy you want to leave.

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if I’m wasting my life?

A full calendar doesn’t necessarily mean your life is wasted. But it is worth asking what your time and energy are building. Jesus calls us to evaluate our foundation and our treasure (Matthew 7:24–27; 6:19–21). You can begin with one small, intentional change.

What really matters in life according to Jesus?

Jesus points us beyond appearances, achievements, and possessions. He teaches us to put His words into practice and invest in what lasts. Purpose grows as we trust Him and love God and others in everyday life.

How do I find purpose when I’m overwhelmed with work and family?

Start by inviting Jesus into your existing responsibilities rather than adding another task. Then protect time for what truly matters. One unhurried conversation, act of service, or moment of prayer can be a meaningful step.

Is it too late to stop wasting time and change my priorities?

No. No matter how much time you wish you’d used differently, you can begin making different choices today. Jesus offers forgiveness and new life, not a demand to have the perfect past.

How do I build my life on Jesus?

In Matthew 7, Jesus says a solid foundation means both hearing and doing His words. Read His teaching, trust Him, and choose a concrete act of obedience. Faith grows through life with Him.

How can parents, grandparents, and mentors leave a lasting legacy?

Live your faith openly and sincerely. Pray together, invite people into worship and conversations about Jesus, and let others see you practice what you believe. The faith of Lois and Eunice helped shape Timothy’s life (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14–15).

You’re welcome at First Christian Church of Allen

Real people. Real questions. Real hope. Your next step matters.

Whether you’re raising kids, caring for aging parents, looking for community, or exploring faith, you can come as you are.

Sunday worship: 10:30 AM
1207 Twin Creeks Dr., Allen, TX 75013

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Explore the rest of Legacy Code

This series continues the conversation about a meaningful life through character, generosity, and love. Explore the series hub for the messages and workbook resources.

Original 2026 series: November 8 — Character That Carries On; November 15 — Generosity That Grows; November 22 — Love That Lasts. The teaching and resources remain helpful beyond the original dates.