Live in the present! Every day you wake up to is a gift from God and has to be treated as such. It has to be received with joy and thanksgiving.

Psalm 118:24 King James Version (KJV)- This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

What did you expect God to do for you yesterday that you felt he didn’t do?

What are you looking forward for God to do tomorrow?

Have any of these expectations robbed you of living in the present?

 I once saw a movie title “Waiting To Exhale” Although it didn’t appear deep or highly spiritual, it was an insightful movie.

Many of us are waiting for an event to occur in our lives before we “start living” or get excited about life.

Check out these scenarios:-

“I would be happy when I graduate from college and get a good job” Then it happened and you’re still not happy or “living yet”. Or you were happy for the first year, and then you got frustrated with/on the job and began to look forward to another event.

“I would be happy when I get married”; you got married and discovered it wasn’t all that you expected. Then you shifted gear and began to expect kids; “I would be happy when I have my 2.5 kids” 

Now the kids are here and they are not all social media cracked them up to be.  You expected your “mini me” to be a cute little boy or girl that would always make daddy or mummy go “aaaawww”. But no! Junior gets cranky and wants to have his way; cute bambina throws tantrums and wouldn’t eat or sleep without fussing.

And once again the happiness goal post shifts; “I would be happy when these kids grow up and go off to college”. They grow up, go off to college and graduate.

Then comes ” I would be happy when these children get married and give me grand kids”

These scenarios are just one aspect of our live expectations; what about the financial aspects? Or the career goals? Or even the ministry goals?

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee!

When would we learn that the rainbow has no end and neither is there any pot of gold at the non-existent end? How long would you keep reaching for the future or living in the past?

Some of us are living either in past glories or in past failures. “I remember when I was a size 6 with flat stomach and firm skin” or “I used to have 6-packs and toned muscles”. That’s mundane right? But many of us are still dreaming of our teenage or twenties bodies and hating the bodies we live in presently.

Well, if you hate those flabby muscles or sagging belly; then get to the gym! Have a lifestyle change; do something about it! But enjoy life daily while you are at it.

What about body changes that come with age that no amount of exercise or lifestyle change can alter? Be glad that you’ve lived long enough to encounter them, embrace the aging process and age gracefully.

You know in what areas you are still living in the past. It may be that prestigious job that came with so much perks and honor that you lost some years back or that business that was second to none in the 90’s. The list of past glories is endless but you have to let it go!

You may have encountered failures either through your carelessness, naivety of stupidity. Every one of us has.  Pick up the lessons learnt, grow/improve and move on!

Learn From the Nature Of God  

When God appeared to Moses, he told him that his name is “I AM”.  God is not the future; he is not the past, He IS!

The Holy Spirit explained it to me this way; that God is a constant; he is present continuous. Before I was born, he IS, presently, he IS and in my future he IS. There is no “was” or “would be” with God.

Let’s examine some scriptures to buttress this fact

Exodus 3:14

King James Version

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

New International Version

God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.

Psalm 46: 1

King James Version

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

New International Version

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Hebrews 1:12

New International Version

You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.”

King James Version

And as vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Amplified Bible (AMP)

And like a robe You will roll them up;Like a garment they will be changed. But [a]You are the same [forever],And Your years will never end.”

Hebrews 11:6

King James Version

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he IS, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I could go on and on but I challenge you to go and do a study of the unchanging nature of God and his present continuous status.

Live In The Present

The fact that the God who made you “IS” gives you carte blanche to enjoy life every day. This is because he’s got you covered. He daily loads us with benefits (Psalms 68:19), so don’t let any day go by without availing yourself of the benefit of that day.  

Does this now mean that you shouldn’t plan or have goals? Absolutely not! Have your plans and your goals. Learn from the mistakes of the past, look forward to the promise of better days ahead but enjoy this day in which you find yourself.

Let me end on this note. Do not borrow tomorrow’s troubles and forfeit today’s benefits.

Matthew 6:34

New International Version

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

New Living Translation

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

American King James Version

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient to the day is the evil thereof.