by Taylor Cummings
1/2/2014
Matthew 6:34, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Have you ever noticed how we seldom live in today; rather, we have our focus either on the past or in the future?
When I was a little girl, all I wanted was to grow up. I wanted to be an adult. I’d have to say I was probably 6 going on 18. Even at birthday parties, I remember sitting with adults while they talked. I wanted to be a part of their conversation rather than going and playing with the other kids. I thought it’d be so wonderful to be an adult and not have to go to school anymore. It fascinated me to think of growing up and starting a family of my own. Now I realize that even as a child I didn’t live in the present nearly as much as I did in the future.
Then I grew up… At least, I feel I did. (I’m reminded of the conversation I had a few months back with my mom where I was in tears thinking I was getting so old and going nowhere because after all, I am NINETEEN!) This was the first year I really spent looking back, but I finally found what it is like to live life looking at my past.
Something has been very apparent to me lately, though. I can’t go back to my past, and I can’t skip ahead to my future. The only day I get to live in is today.
In Matthew 6, we read about the cure for worry. It talks about not worrying about what you’ll eat or drink or wear because God already know what we need. What we’re told to do instead is to, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (verse 33).
There’s a very wise quote which says, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” -Unknown.
As I have been made ever so aware of the fact that today is the only day I get to live in, I realize I need to make every moment count. It’s fine to be aware of yesterday and learn from it, but we can’t get so caught up in the past that we get stuck there. Also, although it’s wise to make decisions today that will benefit our tomorrows, we can’t make the huge mistake of missing the gift of today because we’re so eager for tomorrow.
Lately, I’ve been realizing that there are things I don’t want to look back on with regret. At the end of my life, I want to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” I don’t want to wait until the end of my life to hear those words, though. I want to hear Jesus tell me those words at the end of every day. The only way this can happen is if I am following on the path God wants me on today!
After making myself so busy, I found that being busy wasn’t really living. I also found it wasn’t living to wait around with my life on hold. I had to find the balance between the two, and the simplest way to sum up that balance is this: seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness… seek God’s will for my life and follow that path.
Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” So, who is ready to start living… today?
Dear Heavenly Father,
You’ve been making me more and more aware of the fact that today is the only day I get to live in right now. Yesterday is behind me. Tomorrow isn’t here for me to live in yet, so today is what I am given. Help me make decisions that will glorify You. Teach me more and more how to do what You’re calling me to do today so I can hear You say, “Well done!” In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
My name is Taylor. I desire to become a published Christian writer at some point in my life, but whether published or not, I want to write for God. If you’d like to read more of my devotionals, you can find them at http://taylorjasmine.blogspot.com/ or on my facebook page
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