We’ve just waved goodbye to our fifth child and youngest teenage daughter as she heads off to her first ball. All week she’s been in preparation and organising her nails, hair, makeup, high heels and little black dress. But what her Dad and I were thinking as we waved goodbye was, “how did that happen, she was our little girl yesterday and now look at her?”
Which made me reflect on the importance of living in the moment and not allowing life to crowd out what is really important in our lives.
Take for instance the fact that a child has 940 Saturdays between birth and finishing high school. 940 Saturday’s may sound like a lot but if you have or know a 5 year old, 260 Saturdays have gone by already in their life.
It’s so easy to go into automatic pilot with our lives, especially when you have kids, are busy studying or are working crazy hours at your job. If our minds are elsewhere and preoccupied during all those moments we share with others or our experiences then we’ve missed making the most of those times.
Instead I recommend trying to stay in the moment. Focus on seeing those around you, hearing them, enjoying them and understanding them. Focus on what you are doing right now.
We do seem to continually need to remind ourselves that everyday is a gift from God. Most of the things we stress about or allow our time and energy to be spent on are things we for the most part won’t even remember in 20 years time. So if it isn’t going to be significant in 20 yrs time perhaps we shouldn’t allow ourselves to be consumed or distracted by it now.
God’s word encourages us to; “Look carefully how you walk! Live purposely and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the most of the time (buying up each opportunity) because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is”. (Ephesians 5:15-17 amplified)
Living in the moment engages us with God; we are focused on Him, His plan for our life and what He is doing and we don’t look back so often and have regrets.
Our undivided attention in the moment says we love and care. We have this one moment and then it is gone forever so I encourage you today to practice living in this moment and trust God with all the things that so often scream for your attention and time. Seek to give your life and energy to those people and things that are important, long lasting and life giving and not simply what seems urgent or attractive at the time.
Prayer: Lord help me to embrace the day and to take some time with you. To make moments with those I love and to understand what and who is really important. Help me not to miss those people and experiences that are right in front of me simply because I get too distracted and weighed down with things that don’t really matter. In Jesus Name Amen.
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