Living In the Present

“There is power in the present moment.

NOW has the strength and substance of reality.

Nothing is more important than NOW.”  Unknown

There’s a time and a place for the past and the future. We learn from the past and we set goals for the future. But no life was ever improved by living in the past, and no goal was ever achieved by merely planning. “Now” is the only time we live in.

When focused on past accomplishments, I often wonder, is God up there saying, “What have you done for me lately?” In the same way, I can just as easily live in the future by setting goals, planning, preparing all the details, and anticipating what to do if things go wrong. My husband calls this being stuck, but I prefer to call it developing a Plan B, a contingency if things don't go the way I expect. Either way it's still analysis paralysis.

Jesus modeled living in the present in everything He did. He took time to listen, stopped to help, answered questions, and responded to young children. He was never too busy for people. Even today, I’ve never had a busy signal when I bow my head and open with, “Heavenly Father…” God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the ultimate role models for living in the present moment.

I don’t know about you, but when God uses me to encourage or help someone, I’m walking about 3 inches off the ground and I can’t wait for the next time. But being used by God to bless others is all about being available in the present moment.

At our motorcycle riders' meetings, we review past events and go over our upcoming our calendar of events. As we review, I get excited to hear others share the contacts they made or a conversation with someone at a gas station or in a pharmacy waiting line. These contacts and relationship building encounters are what we live for. This review of prior month’s events, inspires me, and hopefully others, who weren’t be there.

Future events help us prioritize the next month or “save the date” for activities coming up we don’t want to miss. But these review and planning meetings are only 1 hour a month. The rest of the month is DOing! Living in the Present.

Building relationships with those God has laid on our hearts takes contact, consistency and caring. These are all things that occupy the Present. Making ourselves available to serve God, is living in the Present. Adjusting our agenda when God calls, and doing what is needed at the moment, is living in the Present.

What are your thoughts?

Libby