Living in the Present Moment
Lately, I've been learning about the ancient and long lost art of living in the present moment. What do I mean by the present moment? Let me explain with an exercise. Disclaimer: you may look like a dork. Embrace it.
In the moment as you read this, I want you to look up from your computer. Look around. What is surrounding you? Maybe you're at home in your kitchen by yourself, at your work desk surrounded by busy co-workers and ringing telephones, or in a library surrounded by students attempting to study (as I am supposed to be right now). If there's a window near by, look outside, see the beauty of the natural world with trees, flowers, sunlight, and blue skies (unless it's raining, then watch the rain fall and listen as it hits the ground outside or the roof above you.) Just take it all in for one minute. Go.
Ok, now take a few seconds to look down at your hands, see how unique the patterns are, from the creases and folds, to the unique prints on your fingers. Now close your eyes and take four deep breaths slowly. My friend, welcome, for you have found the present moment. Take in the wonder and awe of the fact that you exist, that you're alive and breathing, right here, right now, today. Isn't that insane to think about?
This past year, I realized I was not living in the present moment, but in the far off future. I had the next year of my life planned out. I had an internship lined up in Atlanta and a clear career path sketched out. I worked really hard in school, motivated to get the best grades to impress my future accounting firm. However, on the first day of Fall classes, I got a phone call with some bad news that I didn't get that internship I worked so hard for, and instantly all my plans were foiled, and I was forcefully awakened from the fantasy future I was living in.
After a few weeks of processing, I realized I had been putting a lot of hope in myself, my work ethic, and my career plans, believing they would bring me a bright future. Yet, I was so focused on a future that did not even exist yet, and at the very least wasn't guaranteed. I was missing out on today and savoring the present moment.
Later on in the semester, I met a man recruiting for an accounting firm who is now mentoring me. One thing he talks about frequently is the art of living in the present moment. He told me that it's only in the present moment you can have the greatest impact and contribute to society. It's only in the present moment that you can tell someone you love them. It's only in the present moment that you can enjoy the friends around you and take advantage of opportunities that come up every day. It's only in the present moment that you can serve someone well and really meet their needs. In fact, the saints throughout history of the Christian faith treasured the present moment. They did not hold on to regrets of the past or worry about what the future might hold. They realized they could only minister in the moment.
According to Psychology Today, "We live in the age of distraction. Yet one of life's sharpest paradoxes is that your brightest future hinges on your ability to pay attention to the present."
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of letting things from the past consume my thoughts. No matter how much I think about past events, I can do nothing to change them. Whether it be reenacting past conversations or dwelling on missed opportunities. I'm also tired of worrying about what the future holds. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely good to set goals and plan for the future. But we can get so consumed with what's to come that we miss the moment. It pains me to observe that while we are young, we get so focused on the future ahead of us, and then when we're old, our minds are consumed with regrets of the past. All the while, we give very little thought to the present which is the only place we can do anything.
Maybe you have your future all planned out. You've got a career lined up and know exactly what you want to do for the next few years. Maybe you have nothing lined up and are fearful if you'll have anything going for you in the future. As a hardcore planner and google calendar addict, I understand the importance of setting goals, planning and knowing where you want to be in the future, but I encourage all of us to not live there every day and miss out on the journey and the gift of each day. Whenever we start trying to figure out how the future will play out, we miss out on really living, and we miss the present moment.
In regard to focusing too much on the future, Francis Chan put it brilliantly when he said, "Take advantage of this time! We miss out when we focus too much on our next phase of life. When we’re single, we can’t wait till marriage, then we can’t wait to have kids, then we can’t wait till they talk, then we can’t till they’re in school, then we can’t wait till they’re out of adolescence, and so on. We can get in a habit of longing for the next step rather than enjoying today to the full."
Maybe you've made mistakes in your life, and they consume your mind every day. Maybe you messed up a relationship, or you wish you would have made a different career choice. Maybe you're longing for your high school or college days when life was a lot simpler. Though I may not have not lived as long as many of you, I have made mistakes and have regrets. No matter what your past holds, you can let go and experience freedom of living each day with God's amazing grace. The Bible says that God's mercies are new every day, so each day is a new invitation to live the abundant life he offers.
I realized another thing, probably the most important thing through all this, that God is also all about the present moment. During his earthly ministry, Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today's troubles are enough for today." In Matthew's gospel account, Jesus tells his followers to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." (Matt. 6:11) This prayer relates so well with how God worked with the Israelites in the Old Testament. After He brought them out of slavery in Egypt and into the wilderness, He provided food for them every day in the form of "Manna", which was some sort of bread-like substance that showed up every day for the them to pick up and eat. If they tried to hoard extra overnight, it would rot. God made it work like that because He wanted them to learn to trust Him every single day as their sole provider.
God works no differently today than He did with the Israelites, and Jesus's words still apply. God invites us to trust him with our futures, and because of what Jesus did through his death and resurrection, we can experience forgiveness and freedom from past regrets as well as have a bright hope for the future, knowing we will be with Him for eternity. He frees us up to be fully alive and to live an abundant life in the moment.
In light of all this, let's figure out what really matters here and now and take it one day at a time. Let's live in the moment with one another, because that's the only place we are most alive and can actually make a difference, and that's where God is.
Additional resources you should check out (which also helped me write this post):
1. Psycology Today gives some practical tips for living in the present moment. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200810/the-art-now-six-steps-living-in-the-moment
2. C.S. Lewis talks about the present moment in his Screwtape Letters book. https://www.biblegateway.com/devotionals/cs-lewis-daily/2013/08/22
3. Francis Chan's response to the question: "What is your primary message to single Christians?" http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/marriage-in-light-forever
In the moment as you read this, I want you to look up from your computer. Look around. What is surrounding you? Maybe you're at home in your kitchen by yourself, at your work desk surrounded by busy co-workers and ringing telephones, or in a library surrounded by students attempting to study (as I am supposed to be right now). If there's a window near by, look outside, see the beauty of the natural world with trees, flowers, sunlight, and blue skies (unless it's raining, then watch the rain fall and listen as it hits the ground outside or the roof above you.) Just take it all in for one minute. Go.
Ok, now take a few seconds to look down at your hands, see how unique the patterns are, from the creases and folds, to the unique prints on your fingers. Now close your eyes and take four deep breaths slowly. My friend, welcome, for you have found the present moment. Take in the wonder and awe of the fact that you exist, that you're alive and breathing, right here, right now, today. Isn't that insane to think about?
This past year, I realized I was not living in the present moment, but in the far off future. I had the next year of my life planned out. I had an internship lined up in Atlanta and a clear career path sketched out. I worked really hard in school, motivated to get the best grades to impress my future accounting firm. However, on the first day of Fall classes, I got a phone call with some bad news that I didn't get that internship I worked so hard for, and instantly all my plans were foiled, and I was forcefully awakened from the fantasy future I was living in.
After a few weeks of processing, I realized I had been putting a lot of hope in myself, my work ethic, and my career plans, believing they would bring me a bright future. Yet, I was so focused on a future that did not even exist yet, and at the very least wasn't guaranteed. I was missing out on today and savoring the present moment.
Later on in the semester, I met a man recruiting for an accounting firm who is now mentoring me. One thing he talks about frequently is the art of living in the present moment. He told me that it's only in the present moment you can have the greatest impact and contribute to society. It's only in the present moment that you can tell someone you love them. It's only in the present moment that you can enjoy the friends around you and take advantage of opportunities that come up every day. It's only in the present moment that you can serve someone well and really meet their needs. In fact, the saints throughout history of the Christian faith treasured the present moment. They did not hold on to regrets of the past or worry about what the future might hold. They realized they could only minister in the moment.
According to Psychology Today, "We live in the age of distraction. Yet one of life's sharpest paradoxes is that your brightest future hinges on your ability to pay attention to the present."
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of letting things from the past consume my thoughts. No matter how much I think about past events, I can do nothing to change them. Whether it be reenacting past conversations or dwelling on missed opportunities. I'm also tired of worrying about what the future holds. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely good to set goals and plan for the future. But we can get so consumed with what's to come that we miss the moment. It pains me to observe that while we are young, we get so focused on the future ahead of us, and then when we're old, our minds are consumed with regrets of the past. All the while, we give very little thought to the present which is the only place we can do anything.
Maybe you have your future all planned out. You've got a career lined up and know exactly what you want to do for the next few years. Maybe you have nothing lined up and are fearful if you'll have anything going for you in the future. As a hardcore planner and google calendar addict, I understand the importance of setting goals, planning and knowing where you want to be in the future, but I encourage all of us to not live there every day and miss out on the journey and the gift of each day. Whenever we start trying to figure out how the future will play out, we miss out on really living, and we miss the present moment.
In regard to focusing too much on the future, Francis Chan put it brilliantly when he said, "Take advantage of this time! We miss out when we focus too much on our next phase of life. When we’re single, we can’t wait till marriage, then we can’t wait to have kids, then we can’t wait till they talk, then we can’t till they’re in school, then we can’t wait till they’re out of adolescence, and so on. We can get in a habit of longing for the next step rather than enjoying today to the full."
Maybe you've made mistakes in your life, and they consume your mind every day. Maybe you messed up a relationship, or you wish you would have made a different career choice. Maybe you're longing for your high school or college days when life was a lot simpler. Though I may not have not lived as long as many of you, I have made mistakes and have regrets. No matter what your past holds, you can let go and experience freedom of living each day with God's amazing grace. The Bible says that God's mercies are new every day, so each day is a new invitation to live the abundant life he offers.
I realized another thing, probably the most important thing through all this, that God is also all about the present moment. During his earthly ministry, Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today's troubles are enough for today." In Matthew's gospel account, Jesus tells his followers to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." (Matt. 6:11) This prayer relates so well with how God worked with the Israelites in the Old Testament. After He brought them out of slavery in Egypt and into the wilderness, He provided food for them every day in the form of "Manna", which was some sort of bread-like substance that showed up every day for the them to pick up and eat. If they tried to hoard extra overnight, it would rot. God made it work like that because He wanted them to learn to trust Him every single day as their sole provider.
God works no differently today than He did with the Israelites, and Jesus's words still apply. God invites us to trust him with our futures, and because of what Jesus did through his death and resurrection, we can experience forgiveness and freedom from past regrets as well as have a bright hope for the future, knowing we will be with Him for eternity. He frees us up to be fully alive and to live an abundant life in the moment.
In light of all this, let's figure out what really matters here and now and take it one day at a time. Let's live in the moment with one another, because that's the only place we are most alive and can actually make a difference, and that's where God is.
Additional resources you should check out (which also helped me write this post):
1. Psycology Today gives some practical tips for living in the present moment. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200810/the-art-now-six-steps-living-in-the-moment
3. Francis Chan's response to the question: "What is your primary message to single Christians?" http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/marriage-in-light-forever
Marc, this is so eloquently put. Thanks for reminding me to be here in the present and to not worry about tomorrow. It's become so normal to live focusing on the past or future, but that's obviously not okay. Keep writing, my friend, the world needs to hear your thoughts!
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