Are You Missing The Gift Of The Present?

http://liveholiness.com/ Thank you Kate.

So you have a problem. You find that you’re spending way too much time
either dwelling on the past or thinking about the future. You truly want to
stop, but you don’t know how; the past and the future are constantly luring
you with their voices, and you keep listening to them.

You wonder why you’re constantly restless and why you lack interior peace
and joy, but the answer is right before you—literally right before you.
It’s called the present moment.

One of the reasons we sometimes miss the gifts that the Lord wants to give
to us each day is because we so often fail to live in the present moment.
But let’s examine the interior experience of living in the past and the
future and see what fruit it bears in our lives.

What happens when we dwell on the past (not good memories, but our negative
past)? We feel regret for past actions; we experience resentment
(literally “to feel again”) toward a person or persons; we dwell in our
hurts or in our failures. Regret, resentment, hurt, and failure. Not
exactly a great way to spend our day.

What happens when we live in the future? We experience fear of the unknown
or what may be; we worry about how events may turn out; we conjure up
scenarios that cause us great anxiety. Fear, worry, and anxiety. Again,
not a great way to spend our day.

No wonder why people who dwell on the past and who live in the future fail
to experience the peace and joy that the Lord wants to give them in the
present moment. The past is gone; the future is not here; and it is simply
irrational to spend our mental energy on things that cause us such interior
turmoil. Dwelling on the past and living in the future are both evidence
of our lack of trust in God: lack of trust in his mercy for our past and
lack of trust in his loving care for our future.

So what does Jesus say about all this?

Regarding the past: “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48 and many other
instances!).

Regarding the future: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life,
what you will eat or drink, or your body, what you will wear… Can any of
you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? … If God so clothes
the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven
tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith… But
seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things
will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take
care of itself” (see Matthew 6:25-34).

God lives in the eternal present. When the Lord revealed Himself and His
name to Moses, He said, “I Am Who Am” (Exodus 3:14). The Lord did not say,
“I was who was” or “I will be who will be.” He simply said, “I Am.” We
need to learn to dwell with the Lord where He is, in the present.

What are the benefits of living in the present moment? The greatest
benefit is the peace that it brings. No regrets, no worries, just dwelling
in the present moment with “I Am.” Also, we experience more gratitude,
because we become acutely aware of God’s presence and how He is acting in
our lives each day. Furthermore, living in the present helps us to be
fully present to the people that we encounter each day and to see Christ in
them. Lastly, living in the present actually benefits our future because
by staying focused on the most important aspects of our lives we will be
well prepared for whatever the future brings us.

How do we acquire the habit of living in the present moment? We certainly
are not going to be perfect; but we can at least train ourselves to return
to the present moment when we find ourselves listening to the voices of the
past and the future. The best way to develop the habit of living in the
present moment is to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes daily in quiet prayer,
dwelling with the Lord who lives in the eternal present. After all, it is
the Lord who said, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:11). If we
can simply learn to be still in prayer each day, that stillness will
eventually begin to permeate the other hours of our day.

So, when you’re tempted to dwell on your past sins, simply pray, “Thank you
for forgiving me, Lord.” (If you know you need to confess your sins,
simply do it and let it go. God does not hold grudges).

When you’re tempted to live in the future, simply pray, “Jesus, I trust in
You,” and return to the gift of the present.