*This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
During one of my worship times, I read a story that a mother shared about her young daughter, who could not wait for an upcoming family vacation. She was wishing for the days and months to go by quickly and counting down for the family reunion/beach vacation to begin. Due to her anxious behavior, the mom offered to take her to the beach earlier, since she could not wait. However, the mother’s intention was to teach her a lesson. She said if we go now, you will miss the planned times to hang with your friends, going to various parties, and the list went on and on. The mother then asked again, do you still want to go? The daughter thought about it then said no, she’d would miss too much. The mother in love ended by saying, be happy for what you can do and what you have, right now.
How many of us can relate? How many times do we wish the present away? If we are in school or at work, we can’t wait until the day is over. We long for our weeks to end and look forward to the weekend. If there is a special trip or occasion that starts on Monday, we then wish the weekend away and can’t wait for that Monday to start!!
Just like in the story, when we wish the present away, we are wishing away the beautiful gift of time our God has given each of us. When we wish time away or for it to speed up, we could be missing out on little blessings each day that God had planned for us. But with the cares and worries this life brings, it is easy to understand how we all keep wishing away our present time.
We are living in the present, but are we in-tuned and connected? Truly being present in the moment will take practice for most of us. Below are just a few tips and suggestions. I encourage you to do your own research and find many other tips and strategies as well.
Celebrate the tiny joys. And big ones too!!
Sunrise and sunset.
God’s beautiful skies; whether it is clear or raining
A roof over your head. Transportation. Food
Financial means to take care of yourself & family
Being free to worship God as you please. There are those around the world who do not have this luxury
Get away from the digital world.
Take some time to shut off your phone, your pads & computers. Even turn off the TV.
Go outside and take a walk if possible. Enjoy God’s world.
Breathe
At various times throughout the day, take deep breaths in and out. Think about God and His goodness in your life. Focus on the positives of life, despite any negatives that may be surrounding you at the moment.
Be present in your listening without intending to respond.
So many times, we do not listen fully to what another person is saying. We listen with the intent on looking for a break in the conversation, in order to jump in to share our thought. Try to listen with curiosity instead of anticipation.
Be okay with not knowing all the answers.
We become stressed and so worried about the future, that we cannot be fully present. Learn to relax and know you don’t have to have all the answers. But God does. Exercise your faith and look to Him to guide you day by day.
As the opening verses have stated, let us rejoice and be glad in the day that God has allowed us to see. Also, whatever we do, let it be done in honor and giving glory to Him. Practice being fully present in your life and not wishing it away. In speaking with elderly people through the years, most wished they had taken more time to be present and content, at various times in their lives. So, I encourage all to learn to be truly present in your life; not someday, but right now.
Blessings,
Angélique~
Comentarios