Live in the Moment

“And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life? ...So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself...”

Matthew 6:27,34 (AMP)

I’ve ruined a lot of good days worrying about things in the future. Years ago, the Lord taught me that one major cause of worry is not living in the moment. We get ahead of ourselves and fill our minds and emotions with anxiety over things that may never happen.

I used to agonize over future events or conversations. I’d worry about something going wrong or try to plan in my mind what I would say and do. Before I knew it, I was upset over a hundred different possible outcomes! And maybe the worst part was that it stole the joy and hope in the present moment.

In Matthew 6:26-27 (AMP), Jesus says, “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by worrying can add one hour to [the length of] his life?” And in verse 34 He says, “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will worry about itself...” (AMP).

I love this! God is basically saying, “Look, I have everything under control—you can count on Me to always be there. So, don’t bother worrying, because it won’t do you any good anyway. Just focus on today!”

Each day, we have a choice to make. When we’re tempted to worry about the future, it’s up to us to stop, give it to God, then choose to enjoy the present moment. If there’s something specific that you can do, then do it. But apart from that, it’s time to cast your care onto God, leave it alone, and stay filled with hope about the days ahead.

You see, God gives us His grace—the power of the Holy Spirit—to live our lives. However, His grace comes with each task—not ahead of time. This is why we feel anxious when we try to figure out things that aren’t here yet.

Romans 15:13 tells us we will have joy and peace when we believe. What should we believe? God wants us to believe that He loves us and that we can place every detail of our lives in His hands. He wants us to believe that He’s already been where we’re going...and He’s already taken care of everything before we get there!

The world’s ways are different than God’s ways. The world is full of pressure, anxiety, and fear—it’s full of worry and hurry. But the normal for Christians should be peace and joy...even when our circumstances aren’t perfect or we don’t know what the future holds. Instead of dreading what’s next, we can stay filled with hope because God is on our side!

The old saying is true: “We don’t know what tomorrow holds, but we do know Who holds tomorrow.”

Right now, I challenge you to take all of your worries and fears and give them to the Lord. Take a moment to pray and release the burdens onto Him. Then choose to enjoy today, knowing that when you get to tomorrow, God’s grace will be there waiting for you.

Prayer Starter: “Father, thank You for the gift of today. I ask for Your help to live in the moment—to enjoy the people around me and give myself fully to what I need to accomplish. When I begin to worry about the future or things outside of my control, please help me to give it all to You, knowing that all of Your help, strength, and grace will be there in the future when I need it. Help me to replace worry and fear with hope and expectancy of the great things to come. In Jesus’ name, amen.”