Living today

This morning I was reminded about how I struggle with living in today.

Not long after I awoke my thoughts were bombarded with accusations of what I should have done yesterday, but didn’t.

Before I could completely process these, I was assailed by thoughts of what I needed to accomplish this week.

My heart began to feel anxious for a moment and I turned to prayer.

The Lord answered.

Live in today.

Matthew 6:34 NKJV — “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I confessed my sin of worry, thanking Him for His quick response, and requested the Lord’s help, that I would live in today.

That living begins with acknowledging Who gave me this day.

Psalm 118:24 NKJV — This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

And I am blessed by the gift.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for today. Thank You for Your Word which reminds me of the truth that each day is Yours and an opportunity to live for You and to glorify Your name. Lord Jesus, please help me to walk with integrity, rejoicing in Your salvage, and the blessings of life. Lord, You are awesome. Your name is wonderful. Your ways are perfect. Your love is true. Thank You for all Your marvelous works! I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Today

Today is a gift from God.

We neither live in yesterday nor in tomorrow.

We only live in today.

God’s infinite and incredible creation was done one day at a time.

He knew we need to do life one-day-at-a-time.

And it’s a waste to try to get into a different time or season than we are in.

Because living is a daily gift.

While living in today, let us remember Who gave us this gift and honor Him with the way we live it.

Let us never waste the incredible blessing of today.

Psalm 118:24 NKJV — This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 7:17 KJV — I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for today. Thank You for being our Savior. Lord, we look to You and find all that we need. Thank You that we can always find security in You. You are our refuge and strength. Lord, please help us to be wise as we live in today. Please help us to hide Your Word in our hearts. Please bring it to remembrance when we are in need, that we might live unto You each day. Lord, thank You for Your guidance, faithfulness, and love. I praise Your holy name! I love You!! Amen.

Living for today

Matthew 6:34 NKJV — “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Ephesians 5:15-17 NKJV — See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

These truths took me many years to learn.

Worry was as common in my day as eating meals.

My mind seemed to constantly jump ahead, into next week or next month, or even next year, trying to make sure I would be prepared for all that might come.

I remember reading this verse in Matthew and trying to figure out how to apply it.

How do I redeem the time if I’m not looking ahead to tomorrow?

How do I know God’s will?

How should I prepare for…?

Proverbs 3:5 NKJV — Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

I had “I” sight problems.

My focus was on myself, my expectation was to do all that was required myself.

It was only through learning to let go of my abilities and cling to the Lord that I learned to be free from worry.

Jesus taught me how to redeem the time: give it to Him.

Although there are seasons I forget this lesson and return to the old way of trying to “do it myself”, which never works.

The Lord is so gracious and calls me back to this place of trust and surrender.

Now, I can see how much I wasted in those days of living in the future, those days filled with worry.

Because now that I trust God for each day, I can see so many blessings.

I can honestly live for today.

Because today is all I have.

Why waste it worrying about tomorrow?

As long as I am living unto the Lord Jesus, obedient to His Word, diligent in His will, there’s nothing to worry about.

I can do the task at hand with joy, because He has given it to me and I’m living for today.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your patience with me. I know it has taken me so many years to learn how to trust You and not to worry. Lord, I know that sometimes I slide backwards, into old habits and old ways. Lord, please guard my heart from that and let me be aware of the temptation to return to the things which Rob me of Your joy. Lord Jesus, You alone are able to see what my day will hold and I want to hear from You for today. Lord, please speak clearly to my heart that I might rest in Your ways. Lord, please give me strength, wisdom and understanding for the tasks at hand. For I know my Redeemer lives and I want to live for You in today. Thank You. Amen.

Giving up the past

Plans for the future have been in motion.

It seems at the back of my thoughts pretty continually.

Our new grandson’s due date, our daughter’s marriage, all the details of homeschooling, all these things have been thought about, prayed for, and discussed multiple times.

As I was putting dishes away this morning I was complaining to God.

I hadn’t realized I was.

But that’s the truth.

I’ve found a thought running through my mind multiple times and it’s connected with a circumstance.

Something I’d wanted to keep had been given away without thought to ask my opinion.

When I discovered the truth, my feelings were hurt.

The choice was logical to the one.

The problem was me.

I had an emotional attachment due to a special memory.

Therefore, when I was putting away the dishes and telling God, “I really wish I had…it would be so useful for…”.

The Lord spoke.

Stop grieving over something I took away.

Och!

“Oh Lord! I’m so sorry!”

I took a breath.

“The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

“Jesus, thank You for showing me my error. I hadn’t realized I was holding on to that. I trust You, that what I have and where I am is exactly where I’m supposed to be and You will provide anything lacking.”

Now that my heart has been revealed, I can see how I have been clinging to this in such an unhealthy way.

What’s really crazy about it is, it’s something of no importance at all.

Yet, I can look at myself and see how I choose to hold on to the past through this.

Somewhere, I was trying to keep a moment of joy and bring it into today by a thing.

How ridiculous!

Jesus is the only One who can do that.

He brings joy into each day and no thing nor any other person can ever meet up with His ability.

It’s good to remember those things which were God’s blessing and to praise Him for it.

But it should never take the place of what He is doing today.

Jesus is blessing each of us, today.

Therefore, I will be more guarded about my thoughts and attitudes when it comes to the past.

I don’t want to clutter up today with needless things and miss the joy in Jesus.

For I know what He has for me in today is what is best.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NKJV — Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

Living in today

Matthew 6:34 NKJV — “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Jesus’s words are so rich.

Yet, how easy is it to live in today without worry?

Especially those worries which point to a future moment.

“What about…?”

“How will…?”

“What if…?”

At times our minds can be so full of doubt, worry, and fear that we feel overwhelmed and lost.

Our very understanding is twisted by despair if not unchecked.

Therefore Jesus’s words hold such freedom.

Live in today and don’t worry about tomorrow.

Each day has enough in it without dragging in worries and fears about tomorrow, next week, next year.

Yet, without purposeful effort, the enemy will bombard our minds with worry, fear, and doubt.

So how do we live in today and refuse to fall into the web of worry?

Be purposeful.

Take every thought captive.

Choose to trust God.

At times it’s helpful just to state it.

“Lord, I don’t know what is happening and tomorrow seems so uncertain, but I trust You to handle it all. What is the task at hand I need to focus on?”

Then follow through.

If you can’t hear the Lord direct you, look to see what needs to be done and do it.

Sometimes that’s as mundane as laundry.

Sometimes it’s as eternal as guiding a child’s heart.

Sometimes it’s as small as an encouraging word.

Sometimes it’s as monumental as God’s truth in season.

Whatever you find to do, do it with all your might unto the Lord.

In the doing, is where we will find our faith in God built-up.

Live in today unto the Lord, and refuse to fall prey to the enemy’s schemes of worry.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for this verse. Please help us to better understand how to walk without fear. Lord, we are frail and often feel helpless. Please step in at those moments and take charge of our hearts and minds, bringing us security in You. Lord, thank You for being so faithful and diligent in all things and teaching us how to walk closer to You each day. Lord, if there is anything which has tied and trapped us into the enemy’s web of worry, please expose it, so we might repent and allow You to cut the ties that bind us to sin. Lord Jesus, we love You and we thank You for all You are doing on our behalf. We praise Your glorious name! Amen!