“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain
you; He will never let the righteous fall.” - Psalm 55:22
Most of the time people function on automatic
pilot! If we stop to analyze our thoughts, they are usually either on the past
or on the future. Neither of those topics is very useful for the present
moment.
Yes, we learn from the past and we plan for our
future, but we do not obsess over them! We do not allow them to keep us from
paying attention to the “here and now.” For the Born Again Christian, the past
is over and forgiven and we are not promised a future, so dwelling on them is
futile and only hinders our effectiveness in the present.
God only promised us this moment in which we draw
our breath. We are not guaranteed the next breath! Therefore, give your
prayerful attention to the moment as God gives it to you to enjoy. By doing
this, we live in awareness of His presence in our lives and follow the leading
of His Holy Spirit moment-by-moment throughout the day.
Fully living in the present moment is the ONLY way
to stay in tune with the Spirit of God. The problem with dwelling in the moment
is that we were hurt by the past, which makes us fearful of the future. God
helps us to heal from the painful parts of our past and He also helps us to
deal with our insecurities and fear of the future.
Whenever your inner peace is distrubed by negative
emotions, follow the advice of these verses and those already mentioned:
Proverbs 16:3… “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.”
Proverbs
3:5-6…”Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own
understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he
will direct your paths.”
Psalm 22:8… “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let Him deliver him,
since he delights in Him."
In the present moment, we encounter God on a
personal level. In this rendezvous, we start to realize the extent of God’s
love for us as His unique child. The outcome of sitting quietly in His presence
is that we begin to pay attention to what we feel, smell, taste, see and hear
in this one moment of time. It is through this attentiveness to what is
actually going on around you right now that you develop complete awareness and
are fully alive.
This understanding allows us to minister more
effectively, because we are in tune with God’s Spirit moment-by-moment. The
trauma of the past and the fear of the future have no place in the present
moment. Once He heals us, we no longer feel shame for the past and we entertain
no worries about the future. We are safe and secure in the arms of God in this
present moment, even if the circumstances around us are full of turmoil and
conflict.
As we dwell in the moment, we become conscious of
our union with God through Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit inhabits our spirit and leads us moment by moment throughout our day. His perpetual
presence permeates our being as we start to consciously live in the moment.
Kenneth Grabner, CSC in his book Awake to Life, Aware of God
makes a wonderful statement, “If we take no time to be with God in silence and
in quiet, we will never be aware of God in the midst of noise and
activity."
That is why a daily quiet time of praise, devotion,
and meditation on God’s Word is so important. As we emerge from our quiet time
in His presence, we radiate joy and walk in peaceful calm in the midst of all
of life’s difficulties. We also provide a lifeline to all of those around us.
We do not have to arrive at perfection to minister to others in their walk with
the Lord. We just need to contain a willing heart for God to use.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you told Simon Peter that Satan asked for permission to sift
him like wheat, but You pleaded in prayer for him, so his faith would not
completely fail. Once Peter repented, he turned back to you and was a great strength
as he built up the faith of his brothers and the rest of Christianity through
the ages (Luke 22:31-32). Thank you for pleading for us as well (1 John 2:1).
Strengthen us and keep us focused on You.
Thought for the Day:
God did not put us on earth to amass worldly goods, but to serve as His
vessels from which He can redeem others.Thank you, Beth Howe, for the use of your photo.
