There will be some
wonderful things happen in your life in the coming days, don’t miss the moments
wishing for yesterday and just hoping in a tomorrow that’s not yet.
A famous scientist
and brilliant mathematician whose last name was Pascal lived during the 1600’s
in France. He is known for such ideas as the “Pascal Triangle.” Pascal also wrote some theological writings. In
the booklet Spiritual Classic Pascal said:
“We never keep our minds on the present
moment. We remember the past, as if we wanted to slow down the passage of time.
And we look forward to the future, as if we wanted time to accelerate. We wander
about in times that do not belong to us, and do not think about the only time
that does. We dream of times past and future, and flee from the present. The
reason is that the present is usually painful. We push it out of sight because
it distresses us – only on those few occasions which are truly enjoyable are we
sorry to see time slip away. We try to reduce present pain with joyful hopes of
the future, planning how we are going to arrange things in a period over which
we have no control and which we cannot be sure of reaching. The past and
present are our means, and the future alone is our end. Thus we never actually
live, but hope to live. We are never actually happy, but constantly planning to
become happy.”
OK, so Pascal wasn’t
the life of the party but he made a brilliant statement here.
We often miss the
opportunity of ministry, relationship, blessings and simply enjoying the
moment, because we are wondering around in a times that do not belong to us. We
put our energy in days we can’t control. In doing so we miss the power of the
moment or the chance of a lifetime! We
stumble around in the mistakes and/or blessing of yesterday or we daydream of
what tomorrow may bring and miss what God is trying to do today in our life. We
have prayed for blessings yet we fail to focus on the time where the blessings
will be, where living is happening. Today! God will do all the miracles of your
life in Today. God will put all your blessings in Today.
I thank God for His
promises and have faith in what He will do in the days to come. I believe that
planning is necessary and important yet, tomorrow does not yet belong to me. Though
tomorrow is out there, my usefulness and my accomplishments along with how I
touch my day, has to happen now in
the present. I will find joy in the present. I will make a difference in the
present. This is the day that the Lord has created, I must rejoice in this day.
As the Apostle Paul told the Corinthian church; “We then, as workers together with
Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:
"In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I
have helped you." Behold, now (present time) is the accepted time; behold,
now (present time) is the day of salvation.” 2
Corinthians 6:1-2 NKJV
We regret past
mistakes, things we said or did, we look forward to how things will be better
in the future. In doing so we must be careful not to miss the power of this
present moment. If we are not carful we will totally miss living this life
today.
LOOKING BACK – where some people live.
The past is where you
find the history of the church. Unfortunately far too many Christians are still
caught in the pages of yesterday and how it once was. They can describe their
“heyday” as though it just happen is the last service they attended. Don’t get
me wrong, I love to hear about its history and what God has done for the
church. I love to read about the great blessings of God in the yesteryears of
the church. I don’t want to ever forget my heritage. But my greatest blessing needs
to happen in my present. My greatest anointing needs to come in this day.
I have seen people
that possessed such a pride over their past that they gave up on their future.
They believed it would
never be like it once was. They communicate no hope for today. They try to
repeat the past to make it happen again and never changed and move on in life.
Another unhealthy
form of days-gone-by is explaining or excusing the present by analyzing the
past. I have seen people that never moved past an event or happening in their
life. Yes, bad things happen and cause pain. Yes, failure has a price to pay
but just because something didn’t happen right or something failed to workout
is no reason to stop or quit. You can’t live in your past, its days that don’t
belong to you anymore.
LOOKING AHEAD – where some choose to live.
The future can also
be a dangerous place for one’s life. Tomorrow will destroy today just like
yesterday does. Looking ahead will often sidetrack those people that are
opposite of those who are hung up in the past. The people who are sidetracked
by the future most of the time have little to affect them in their past. So
their greatest days are still somewhere out there ahead of them. These people
live a lot of moments that says, “One of
these days.” I have seen people that invested so much time planning for
tomorrow that they never actually implemented anything today. It’s not that
they never do anything, they are usually busy people, they go through the day
of existing but they are not producing.
Another form of
futurist is demonstrated by changing programs rather than changing the person.
We continually are looking for the latest, “secret sauce” the latest new “black
box” or some new powered recipe. We think that this newest idea is the answer
to our problems or needs. These people spend time, today’s moments, saying
one-of-these-days and it is nothing more than an excuse to never change. A
quick picture of this is diet plans and New Year’s resolutions.
When we use the
phrase “one of these days” or “tomorrow I will” we are failing to live in today
and it will cost you. (Met people who had
a new plan everything you saw them.) Another problem with always living in tomorrow
is that you become bored with the present. Listen, the present will never be as
big as your daydreams. The present will never be like the perfect story you
have reserved for tomorrow. If you ever plan on riding in on a white charger to
save the day, you had better learn how to ride the pony now and live effectively
in today.
I am a firm believer
in planning and dreaming for tomorrow. I personally spend time regularly
dreaming and asking “what-if”. My Dad always told me to dream. He also said I
would have to wake-up to make them happen. You will always wake up from a dream
in Today.
The future is days
that do not yet belong to us yet.
Don’t miss the wonder of today wishing for
yesterday or tomorrow. They don’t belong to us but today does.
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