The Present Is a Gift
By: Mission Team
Live not in the past or future, but stay in the present
“Back in my day we didn’t have all this fancy technology or cell phones.” I feel like everyone has had someone say something like that or something similar. The response to those people is often: “Okay, Boomer.” Why is it that people say that? Why do they bring up the past and how bad or good their life used to be? Why can’t these people talk about how good life is right now?
Yesterday is history
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold,
the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
I can still remember the day I broke my wrist. It was a few days after my 12th birthday, I was rollerblading and went down a big hill and a rock got stuck in my wheels. I did a front flip and landed on my left wrist and broke it.
I never experienced so much pain before. Pain... That’s the one thing people think the most about when they dwell only on the past. People remember when they were hurt, how they were hurt, and by whom they were hurt. When you live only in the past it causes depression, and unforgiveness to others, especially the ones that hurt you. So why do people live in the past.
Tomorrow is a mystery
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34
There are many cool things that everyone hopes will be in the future, hover cars, jet packs, anti-gravity chambers etc... But even though the future sounds cool, most people that dwell on the future and live only for what's about to happen, what they need to do, always end up being edgy, anxious and angry.
There was a family that I knew and they believed that the end of the world was near. This family was so afraid that this was happening soon that they would destroy friendships to protect themselves. I never was able to have a good talk with them without them getting mad and not understanding how I wasn’t afraid that the end was near. This led to the kids not being permitted to look at me and my family. Since they were stuck looking at what could happen that couldn’t see what was happening.
They lost many friends, and most of the kids seemed to be in extreme anxiety and depression. When you live only in the future it causes you to become afraid, anxious, and angry. Why do people do this to themselves?
But today is a gift. That is why it is called Present.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to
all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” Philippians 4:4-6
To be in the present is to not be depressed (past) or to be anxious/angry (future). If
you live in the present you will find more joy. Now when I say all these things about not living in the past or future I don’t mean it's wrong to do it, just don’t overdo it. I love to
think back on all of the fun things that happened to me, my family, and friends.
I also like to know what the future is going to be like and make sure I’m ready for what tasks will be coming up. But living only in those times and letting them control what is going to happen in your life is what will ruin you and cause you to never be in a true state of joy. Living in the present is what makes one joyful, it’s what makes one able to keep on going no matter what.
