Living in This Moment by Natasha Theberge
We know that time is not on our side. There are not enough hours in the day. But it seems like we act as though time is not an issue. At least, I do sometimes. I was chatting with a friend about what I was focusing on in this season, and I shared that I wanted to cherish every moment I have before it's gone. You see, I've been married for almost ten years. My husband, Chad, and I have two beautiful, exceptional children, Kealem and Emberlynn. These three are my life.
After God, I treasure these three the most. Nothing and no one in the world could ever take their place. There's no one I would rather be with or do life with than my three favorite people. Time has a way of distracting us. Things happen, people irritate us, work gets crazy, and before we know it, things have changed.
Our spouse's likes and dislikes are different from a few years ago. Our children are older and more independent. Friends have come and gone. Our house may look the same, but life has changed. Now we look on toward new seasons and adventures. But, what about those moments? Do they matter? They have come and gone, but when we look at them, do we see a memory filled with joy and sweet bliss? Or do we regret not being in the moment enough? I expect we'll continue to have regrets of some sort, such as not being involved enough, speaking harshly in a particular moment, etcetera. But what if there was a way to help lessen those regrets today?
"Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert."- Isaiah 43:19 NASB 1995
What's great about our Heavenly Father is that he sees our hearts. We make mistakes, miss out on things we wish we hadn't, sometimes at no fault of our own. He knows the thoughts and emotions we experience and still remains with us. He comforts us and helps us move on, giving us tools and wisdom to help us look to the moments we are in. He helps us cherish the laughs, conversations, and moments spent doing something invaluable to us.
You and I may have regrets from yesterday. We have doubts and insecurities about tomorrow, but today is a new day! We have an opportunity to do things differently. We have the chance to be present in our lives and in the lives of others. And this can be scary to us. We know we don't necessarily want to repeat yesterday's choices, but we don't know what to do today.
Here are a few examples in the Bible that can help us:
———————————————————————————————————————
- Live free from the love of money.
"Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you, nor will I ever desert you, nor will I forsake you.'"- Hebrews 13:5 NASB 1995. It's difficult to depend on anyone other than yourself to provide for you or your family.
God promises to care for you. He wants you to be content with what you have. Only Christ can satisfy your needs.
- Stop living in condemnation.
Romans 8:15 NASB 1995- "Therefore there is now no condemnation in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and of death." I cannot stress enough how freeing it is to know this. No matter what you have done, God has forgiven you. If you have asked for forgiveness and have accepted Christ into your heart, you are made new. You are not who you were, and he holds nothing against you. He is transforming you and wants you to live in this freedom. Please, believe that you are forgiven and made new. Continue to strive to do what God wants you to do, don't allow others to condemn you, and stop condemning yourself.
- Stop focusing on the Negative.
Negative things happen every day. They do. To deny that bad things happen and that people say and do horrible things is simply untrue. There are, however, great things that happen every day too. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."- Philippians 4:8 NASB 1995. God doesn't want us to neglect and ignore the bad that is going on in the world and in our lives. He does, however, want us to focus on the good that is around us. The Thanksgiving meals with loved ones. The moment we find out someone we love has accepted Jesus into their heart. The hugs our daughters give when they see us. The pictures our sons draw of us that they want to hang on our fridge. What about the sweet fellowship with friends on a Wednesday night at a bible study? There is so much good around us. Let's focus on those.
- Stop worrying about things.
You've probably read this verse many times, but I find it not only applicable but reassuring as well. Matthew 6:34 NASB 1995- "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I worry about things that I lose sleep over, just as I'm sure you do. Worry keeps me from enjoying and experiencing my today with the people I love most. Focusing on whatever I am worried about can get in the way of time I could be spending with my loved ones in peace and joy. And the thing is, God has already told us that he will provide. I don't need to worry. What I need to be is available, trusting, and confident in God's ability to do what he says he will.
- Live in a manner that glorifies God.
There is nothing to regret when we follow God's leading and allow Him to teach us how to live. We become students of God's will and learners of people. We learn how to love, treat, and show kindness to them. We aren't focused on our gains because we are focused on God. We may still struggle with sin, but it has no power over us. We learn how to keep sin from consuming our lives. Ephesians 5:15-26 NASB 1995- "Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Let's not slander or gossip. Instead, we should comfort and encourage one another. If someone is in need and you can help them, do so. The world does not revolve around you and me.
- Our words matter.
The words we say, how we say them, make a difference in people's lives. It isn't uncommon to hear a parent yell at their child when I go to town. I have spoken things I have regretted saying after everything was said and done. I don't do it often, but I regret it. No matter who it is, when it is, or why it is, no one deserves to be cut down, mocked, insulted, threatened, or abused. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."- Ephesians 4:29 NASB 1995
These are just a few examples in God's word that we can use to help us live our lives in the moment. We can use these resources to help grow and lead us in our lives. We may not live perfect lives, but we can live each day the way God wants us to live. That's what matters.
My name is Natasha Theberge. I am a published author, writer, and
blogger using words to bring people closer to God. Writing and sharing
about God with others is something I am passionate about, as well as,
God, my husband, and my children, Kaelem and Emberlynn.