Living in the Present

It seems this week I have been bombarded with the same message: live in the present. From daily devotionals to conversations with friends to mentoring my children, always it is the same. Focus on today, live in today. Plans are important to be sure. But they are exactly that, just plans, ideas. The Bible tells us that we only find Jesus in the present. We will not find Him anywhere else. I read this week that we were designed for the present. It makes sense if I think about it. Lamenting the past brings sadness, reliving the glory days brings wistfulness and longing. So too, worrying about the future brings nothing but stress and anxiety. And so there is peace in living in the present. There is peace in knowing that good or bad, this is all we have to contend with.

I’ve been working recently on time management, and what it really means to “manage time”. The truth is we don’t manage time at all. We manage ourselves, prioritize our choices based on whatever litmus test we hold most dear. Time is not manageable. Time is an idea. It’s just a concept really. Certainly not the tyrannical dictator we suppose it to be.

Real success lies in our approach to time. How do we face the 168 hours we are planning for each week? What are the expectations we place on ourselves?  Am I being honest with myself about my priorities? And does my plan reflect God’s priorities or my own? Have I taken the time to truly listen to Him or just laid out a list of things I think He should focus on? I’m not going to venture too far down the rabbit hole here as that last question really deserves several posts of its own. My point here is this: In meeting us only in the present, Jesus gives us one of His greatest gifts…the opportunity for peace.

So let us consider our 168 hours. Let us dream about the possibilities this week may hold. Let us set goals to strive for and markers to measure our accomplishments. But then lets get back to real living…right here in the present. Let us always remember that in all the 168 hours we face each week, the one that really matters is the one we are in right now.

May God bless you with His peace as you pursue your endeavors. May you find peace in His presence.