Three Tips To Help You Not Be A Squirrel

As we saw on Day one, Jeremiah 29:11 lets us know that God is the Master Planner. Let God do the planning. He’s got good plans for you. In order to let Him do the planning, it's your role to trust and rest in Him so that you can make the most of your moments right now. Doing so is a personal experience and will be pursued differently by everyone, but here are a few tips to transform your days from nut-chasing to now-embracing:

1. Pay attention to yourself. Did you know that you are “paying” whatever it is you are “paying attention” to? Your attention costs you something, so you might as well pay yourself. Focus on your own thoughts, senses, and emotions without judgment to create space for presence.

2. Appreciate your life. Life is a gift. Anyone who has lost a loved one knows intimately well that every life - and every moment - is a gift. When a commodity or asset loses value, we say it “depreciates.” When it gains value, it “appreciates.” Increase the value in your own moments by appreciating what you have. Be grateful for your opportunities, relationships, experiences, boring moments, or anything else. Isn't a boring moment better than a stressful moment sometimes? As you cultivate gratitude, your internal value increases.

3. Invest your time; don’t spend it. When you “spend time” or find a distraction to help you “kill some time,” you are wasting the gift of presence. Invest time in you by minimizing that which pulls you from the moment (television, social media, worrying, regretting, etc.). Create space for what enhances your own emotional and spiritual well-being as we are urged to do in 2 Peter 3:18 – to grow in both grace and knowledge of Jesus.

Making the most of your moments is a process that takes practice. But with effort and patience, you can develop the skill of living a present and more fulfilling life.

Prayer: Jesus, I choose to rest instead of chase.

* Was this Plan helpful? We adapted this Plan from It's All Good: 90 Devotions To Embrace Your Now (by Heather Hair, DaySpring).