1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Ephesians 5:15: Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Our lives are a series of moments. Some moments overlap with other moments, but moments, nonetheless. I’m trying more intentionally to live in the moments, to be present in the moments, and to be aware in the moments - watching and listening.
After God spoke to me about how my disappointments are taming my faith, I have been more aware of my actions. If we live only thinking about what has happened to us, what we have done or what has been done against us, or wishing how things could have been different in the past, then we will miss what God has for us in the here and now - the present.
In the same token, I’m guilty of looking too much to the future. Some of my disappointments have come from trying to think forward too much. I do love to plan, have a plan, and check items off of a list! I find great satisfaction in that. Sometimes I even do things that aren’t on my list, but go back and write them on my list to immediately mark them off as completed. I do realize the ridiculousness of this.
In the present, God is teaching me that He has a plan, and I don’t have to know it and most times don’t get to know it. Oh, how He is teaching me to trust. (Don’t misunderstand me - I am learning trust only because I have to, not because I’m so open and easily willing to trust deeper in the hard times, in most cases.) I absolutely know that His plans are way more amazing and beautiful than anything I could craft in my own feeble, limited mind.
Last year, I was part of a songwriter’s competition. I was battling the Enemy on one side, saying, “No one wants to hear about Jesus at this thing. People will dismiss you because your song is talking about how the Lord is holding you up. There will most likely be much eye-rolling in the dark.” On the other side, I was battling myself and thoughts of, “Oh, wouldn’t it be cool if God was doing this because the next step is this…. then that….then that…” Ugh. I seriously wear myself out with this.
In the Holy Spirit’s tenderness and my “undoneness,” I stopped practicing one day and said, “Whatever YOU want from this. Use me.” I felt sure in that instant that I wouldn’t advance to the next stage of the competition. That wasn’t my purpose there. My prayer changed to, “God, help me be present in this moment. I don’t want to miss what you have for me. Open my eyes to see your glory.” (and from this prayer arose a song, below)
Changing my perspective brought peace to my heart, and a greater purpose to that night. Yes, I was going to sing about how Jesus holds me up when I feel like I’m drowning in my sea of responsibilities, but my purpose was to look for opportunities outside of the song. I was to look for moments to show kindness, encouragement, and love to other songwriters - in the name of Jesus. Suddenly, my eagerness was a different thing altogether, and the evening was a beautiful time to hear the artful composition of songs created in the hearts and minds of those gathered. As well, the evening was a time to celebrate the one who won!
All of this sounds so simple, but I find it difficult, and something I have to work at daily and moment by moment. “Help me be aware of you, God. Show me Your glory. Teach me Your ways. Push me.” I echo Paul’s prayer in his letter to the Philippians (3:10-13):
My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
Forgetting what is behind in the past.
Knowing Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings in the present.
Reaching forward to what is ahead in the future.
God, help me to make every effort to take hold of the goal - to know You and the power of Your resurrection in every moment. Help me to see how the past has shaped me for my good and to have great hope for what you are doing with my life in the future. BUT, make me aware of Your Presence in THIS moment, making the most of every opportunity. I don’t want to miss what you have for me - because you have taken hold of me.
This Moment- ©Shannan Miller Music 2018
If I'm only looking to the next moment, if I'm only wondering what could be,
if I'm only hoping for what tomorrow holds, then, I'm gonna miss...
This moment.
Help me be present in this moment.
I don't want to miss what You have for me.
Open my eyes to see Your glory,
here in this moment, now.
If I’m only looking at my yesterdays, if I'm only dwelling on what was;
if I'm only wishing how it might have been, then I'm gonna miss...
This moment.
Help me be present in this moment.
I don't want to miss what You have for me.
Open my eyes to see Your glory,
here in this moment, now.