Hope for your financial life and beyond

The Benefits of Living in the Moment

Hidden Nuggets Series #3  – “Give us this day our daily bread.” – Matthew 6:11

In what year are your thoughts?

In what year are your thoughts?

I’m a personal finance blogger. It’s my business to help others plan for and navigate through the future. Yet I find myself often neglecting one of the simplest messages Jesus ever gave his disciples.

Focus on today.

Jesus’ challenge to his disciples came in the heart of what would later be called “The Lord’s Prayer.” He was modeling for them the appropriate way to approach and speak with God. He was alleviating any confusion they had as to what prayer should be. (I assume they were confused because they asked Jesus to teach them how to pray.)

So in the middle of the “Our Fathers” and the “Deliver us from evils,” Jesus asks his disciples to voice this line each time they communicate with their heavenly Father – “Give us this day our daily bread.” It’s a powerful request, and it is just as relevant today as it was 2,000+ years ago.

We shouldn’t solely focus on today. The Bible teaches in too many places that there is great wisdom in planning ahead. I find myself, however, getting caught up in the future, thinking about things that I cannot control. I don’t even know what I will need 25 years from now. Yet that is where I’m projecting my prayer life.

I need to return to the here-and-now when I talk to God and realize these simple truths:

When the focus is on today’s needs I communicate my trust.

When the focus is on today’s challenges I stifle worry.

When the focus is on today’s situation I demonstrate contentment.

When the focus is on today, I live more at peace.

Are you getting caught up in how your life will play out in the future? Is it stressing you out? Then perhaps you can join me in refocusing on the present and how God will supply our needs each and every single day.

How hard is it for you to not worry about tomorrow?

Image at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Next Post: When Life Makes It Easier, Push It!

Prior Post: An Unintentional Coke Zero Detox

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Comments

  1. Glen @ Monster Piggy Bank says

    I often get caught thinking about the future. I think it is important to do, but you need to make sure your life is in order in the present before you can set any meaningful goals for the future.

  2. What an important reminder! I have a VERY hard time focusing on the present (just ask my wife!). I’m always thinking about tomorrow and planning for the next day, week, month, year, etc. Planning that far ahead really isn’t biblical, imo.

  3. Great post! I’ve realized that worrying just causes me more stress which isn’t good for us. Many times that worrying causes me to not act or delay acting on things, wasting valuable time. In the end when I do get around to doing the thing I worry about, it wasn’t as nearly as bad as I made it out to be. I wasted all of that time worrying over nothing.

    • Thanks Don! I can relate to what you are saying. Almost all of the time I fret over a situation it never turns out the way I had projected it would. It’s a useless waste of time and energy to worry about things we cannot control.

  4. Although we do not know what the future brings and what we will need 25 years later, we still can plan for it. We can plan where we want to live, how much money we would need, what we want to do. And although that future may change or be modified (since we really do not know His plan for our individual paths) we can be prepared for those changes just by knowing what are plans are.
    I had my plans and suddenly a very significant change in my life came along. I was only able to deal with it because I was prepared and knowing my overall goal, dream or plan (and you can always receive your personal revelation in a prayer ;-), right?).

    • Absolutely Martin…I agree completely. The Bible talks way too much about planning for the future as being a wise move. As we plan for the future however, I still want to live day by day, putting my trust in God for my needs in the present.

  5. You always have such great perspectives. It’s what I know as “future tripping.” I think it’s OK to plan and make goals, but when it starts to consume you so much you aren’t focusing on what you can do today, it’s time to sit back and be present.

    • LOL! I love it…”future tripping.” I’m going to have to remember that term when my students at school are freaking out about what they are going to do with their life. I think they would like that!

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