Only This Moment

Past, present, and future.

Which one do you spend the most time in? I'm pretty sure my answer and what God wants for me don't quite equal the same thing. That’s why I wrote the following quote down when it came to my mind a while back.

“You won’t look to the past because it’s gone. You won’t look to the future because it’s not here yet. All you have is this moment. It can’t change the past, but it can help determine the future.”

I often find myself overthinking a moment that I can’t change or worry the future won’t look like what I want it to look like, what I think that it should look like.

But what I do have, what I only have right now, is this moment. This moment to make a difference. This moment to show the love of Jesus to someone else. This moment to work hard, to grow character, to learn to love God more and more. That’s all I have. That’s all I need.

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve got breath in your lungs. And I believe that’s on purpose, for a purpose. I believe that God has you on this planet for a reason. Yes, He is Almighty God, technically He doesn’t NEED us, but He created us, He loves us, and He loves everyone around us.

What if He placed us where we are to reach, bless, and serve those people around us?

It kinda makes me smile to think about Him allowing His children to help Him in the work that He does. It kinda makes me smile to think of Him smiling as we stumble and trip up, but then how He helps us back up and gently helps us try again.

And that’s one of the amazing things about His grace – it never gives up; it never runs out. God knows hurt people hurt other people, that we’re not going to spend as much time with Him as we “should”, that growth is a process. It helps take some of the pressure off that we so quickly put on ourselves, reminding us that He’s not done with us.

So, I’m thankful for the lessons learned from the past, and the way that the future is a blank canvas, an empty page that our Father is making into a beautiful story. But most of all I’m thankful for the gift of the present moment. The reason we are free to fully embrace this moment is because of God's grace and how Jesus paid our debt.

And when I think about it, when I take time to truly mediate on what Jesus has done for me, it makes me want to live a life worthy of my calling, worthy of a soul washed in His blood. Not because I HAVE to do anything to earn His love or forgiveness, but to honor, to thank, and to point back to what He has done and what He has saved me from.

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:1-3

“Lord, please help us learn to live this verse out and not get stuck in our heads overthinking a past we can’t change or a future that isn’t here yet. Thank you for this moment, for this opportunity to practice humility and patience, to learn to walk with gentleness. Thank you for another opportunity to serve and bless those around us. Thank you that You have given us life and that You promise to walk with us and teach us and grow us.”