There are ways of focusing on the future which can negatively affect the present.

One is to focus on the future as the time when life will start, when things will be rosy and we will be happy. This attitude can centre on big occasions: ‘when we leave university’, or ‘when we retire’, or the smaller stuff of life: ‘after we’ve finished decorating’, or ‘after Christmas is done and dusted’.

Another trap is to focus on the future with a fearful mind; to worry about future events—whether they will take place tomorrow or next year. Anxiety steals our rest today, and has an enormously negative  effect on our physical and emotional health. Although many of us feel we cannot help worrying, it actually stems from unbelief, a lack of trust in the goodness of God. And we can do something about that—faith is essentially a choice rather than an emotion. And the truth is, we can’t hold faith for today and unbelief for tomorrow at the same time. To get the most out of the present, we have to be at peace with the future.

Not only does an unhealthy focus on the future rob us of happiness and productiveness in the present, but also it also effects how that future pans out. The choices and decisions we make today provide the foundations for tomorrow. What we learn of ourselves, and God right now; the character development and experiences that this moment provides, are the building blocks towards the unique destiny God has planned for us.

That's something to ponder......
Any thoughts?

One of the reasons we sometimes find it hard to live in the present, is because our focus has not shifted from the past. Perhaps the present appears to compare unfavourably with the rosy hue of our past experiences. Or maybe we just haven’t dealt with historical issues, such as regrets, disappointments, painful memories or broken relationships.

To really celebrate the present we have to still these voices of yesterday, and resolve to live free from their domination. To do this we need to let the past go; being forgiven for our mistakes and failures and forgiving those who have hurt or mistreated us; receive healing for pain we have suffered, and renew our minds so that we look at today with the eyes of faith.

Let’s not delay any longer, let's take steps now to get free from the control of the past.

As always the answer is in Jesus. He died so we could live free—let’s remind ourselves of all He did for us on the Cross, and make sure we’re living in the good of it all. Let's make sure that we get all He paid for!

Check out the resources below to help you silence the voices of your past:

Sometimes our days are overcrowded—with things we must do, or feel we ought to do. It’s hard then to live in the present, because we are overshadowed by the stress of our ‘list’. We can’t take time to really be present in each activity because we are hounded by all the things we haven’t done.
Sound familiar? Maybe it’s time to look again at our ‘To Do’ lists…

A day lived in calmness of spirit - now that’s something to aspire to! We see this mind-set personified in Jesus, who never seemed hurried or agitated, and made it clear that He only did what He saw His Father doing [John 5:30, 8:28].

Biblical wisdom is essentially a ‘plan that works’, a plan that has an anointing for success. And we are invited to ask the Lord for the wisdom we need [James 1:5]. An anointed plan—is this the answer for our stress filled days? His plan may mean scratching some things from our list—this is where trust comes in—the trust that He has our interests at heart and knows exactly what we need.

Interestingly, the Hebrew day started at nightfall, meaning that the day started with rest. The hours of sleep therefore became preparation for the coming work hours, rather than for the collapse of exhaustion afterwards. How about starting your day in the same way, asking for the Lord’s plan for the morrow, and His equipping with everything you will need while you sleep?

If we learn to walk in His plan, with His resources, we will come to know the truth of Ecclesiastes:

We are called to live intentionally in the present, to celebrate and make the most of now, to reject the temptation to think that life will start sometime in the future ……when I get a new job……. when I get married….. when we move…… when we have children …….. when they leave home…..when we retire, and so on.

​So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps.
Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does.
Instead, walk as the wise!  
Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.  
So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly.
[Ephesians 5:15-17, The Voice]

Finding the beauty in each moment is the challenge. And for that we need to adjust our perspective.

​For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do.
[Ephesians 2:10]

​Our Heavenly Father has a multitude of ‘good works’ prepared for us; works that are specific to us, to our particular gifts and abilities; works that will delight and bless us, works that will bring His Kingdom to a needy world. And many of these works are to be done not through great crusades or special ministries, but at the supermarket or the school gates, cooking the evening meal, or filing papers.

Not only does He want to fill each moment with His presence (see last post), He wants us to partner with Him in bringing eternity into the present. Heaven is the realm of eternity, and it is our commission to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.

Whatever we do, whether it is walking the dog, or chauffeuring clients, we do it as ambassadors of another kingdom. And we have the opportunity to leak some of that kingdom into our work-places, families and communities.

Mother Theresa said that one of the guiding principles of her life was to do small things with great love. Similarly, Wendy Backlund recommends doing small things with great faith.

This is the way the kingdom comes…
This is the way we endow every moment with divine purpose…

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[**Photo credit: Jiyeon Park @ Unsplash, with thanks]

Celebrating the present moment cannot be separated from celebrating the Presence, for God fills everything with Himself:

And not only is the earth filled with His presence every moment of every day, for believers there are the added promises:

The Evil One loves us to believe that we are somehow separated from the Lord, that we are somehow inferior Christians. The truth is that nothing separates us from His love [Romans 8:35-39], and we live grace-filled lives.

GUEST BLOG FROM LETTERS TO EVE

Tomorrow it's Friday, yay!

I’m so in love with the Friday feeling. When the weekend stretches before you in all its 2.3 days of glory; promising you lengthy lie-ins, fun times with friends, and plenty of good old relaxation. It’s an amazing time… until Sunday evening rolls around quicker than you can blink. Suddenly Monday  morning looms around the corner like a big black cloud on the horizon, and a little bit of dread fills your soul. It’s time again to face a whole five days of working adult life.

Let me ask you this. Do you ever get to work in the morning (especially on a Monday), and wish that it was 5pm already and time to go home? Do you begin the countdown to the weekend on a Tuesday?

Somehow, we’ve all ended up in a trap in which we’re literally living for the weekend. We live for life’s highlight reel—for summer holidays abroad, for Christmas, for birthdays, for the exciting moments that are more of an occasion than an everyday reality. This means we’re spending about 80% of our lives wishing time away waiting for those other 20% moments. Meanwhile we endure the “normal” moments, dreading chores and hating mornings.

I make the whole “Thank God It’s Friday” jokes as much as everyone else, and yet deep down I don’t want to live like that…

So what’s the answer—should we try and make our lives into ones of infinite fun and no responsibility? Can we create lifestyles which are full to the brim with non-stop thrills and endless magic, kicking the whole nine till five thing to the curb?

If you take advice from Instagram stars and travel bloggers, you might just come across this message—that of course you can design the perfect life. You can make everything just how you want it, each day full of glorious moments, skipping across the globe into the sunset with no boredom ever to be experienced again.

How I wish this was true. Unfortunately though, it isn’t.  Yes of course you can go after the things you really want, finding joy in those things and creating a lifestyle you love. If you hate the nine till five, don’t do it. However, the truth is that no matter what you do, who you are, how much money you have, or how awesome your job is, you will never completely escape the mundane side of life. There will always be errands and practical matters to take care of. There will always be boring and not-so-glamourous sides to any kind of life you map out for yourself. Everyday life will always be everyday life.

I know this sounds like I’m being totally depressing, but stick with me on it. If there’s no escaping the dull, difficult, less fun parts of our existence—what are we to do? How can you be happy every day, and live life to the full?

 I believe the answer is not necessarily always found in trying to change your circumstances, but in shifting your perspective. We can actually choose to love everyday life no matter how seemingly unexciting it is. It’s all in your head and the way you think.

Why not choose to make the most of every moment, no matter what it is you’re doing. I honestly think you can learn to enjoy even the most dreaded parts of your day—all it takes is a change in attitude. If you can’t stand cleaning, for example, stick on some music, crank up the volume and have a little boogie while you do it. Why not pray and spend some time with God while you’re scrubbing the oven?

If you’re doing your weekly shop, be thankful for the fact that you can go to a store, fill your trolley up and stuff your cupboards with nice things. Half the world’s population don’t have that luxury.
All these dreaded little things can become something we actually appreciate and feel grateful for if we adopt the right attitude. Life is how you see it!

As well as learning to make the most of everyday, the same philosophy can also be applied to the various seasons of life and circumstances in which you find yourself.
Maybe you’re single and you want more than anything to be coupled up. Or you’re itching to be promoted at work, or you can’t wait to buy your first house. We think that once we get those things we will be content. The problem is, when you attach happiness to circumstances, it’s always remains around the corner, just out of reach.

What if instead you were to find contentment where you are right now?
If you’re single, starfish the bed, spend your time how you want to, and soak up all the glorious independence and freedom available to you. If you’re married, make the most of your time together before noisy demanding little people take over your world.

If you’re studying, make the most of those lie-ins and all that free time! Enjoy learning new things and meeting new people.

If you’re working, enjoy the 9 till 5 or whatever hours are yours. Enjoy the office environment and the ability to leave your work behind when you finish. If you work from home, enjoy the freedom it brings and make the most of it.

Your season will not be the same forever, and you will never get this time back.
All it takes is a little shift in perspective. Enjoy the mundane moments and enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime moments. Savour the time you have, knowing that you won’t always have it. Life is but a vapour, here now and gone a moment later… so choose to enjoy it while it lasts.

To hear more from 'Letters to Eve' check out the blog at
https://letterstoeveblog.wordpress.com/

The present moment is precious—a gift to us, which will never come again. I often used to say to my children when they were young, and complaining of boredom, ‘What can you do now, that you won’t be able to do next week, next month, next year?’  The same holds true for us as adults, we don’t know what the future holds, it’s in God’s hands, but we do have now, today, this minute—and it’s worth celebrating.

There is much interest currently in the practice of mindfulness which emphasises the blessing of focusing on the present moment. The problem with these explorations is that they miss out the most important and fundamental thing which undergirds each minute of our day: the presence, purpose and sustaining power of God.

Today is a gift to us from our loving Heavenly Father. He holds it all together and imbues it with His presence and purpose and power. And He invites us to walk through it with Him.

What has He got for you and me that is unique—just  for today? What ‘secrets’ does He want to reveal? What ‘treasure’ has He got for you to discover? What partnership does He offer for this period of time?

The last couple of weeks have brought beautiful spring days to the north of England, (although it was snowing yesterday!) The air has been filled with birdsong and the sound of the first bees. Daffodils are out in their glory, trees are bedecked with blossom, while others unfurl their leaves. Birds carry materials to make their nests, frogs are spawning in the streams, and young lambs take their first unsteady steps.

How appropriate that in a couple of weeks we will celebrate Easter and resurrection life, when everything in creation is brimming with life!

Take some time this week to notice and enjoy the new life stirring around you.
What can you find to celebrate?

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Have you ever looked, really looked at just one tree? Seen the pattern of its bark & felt its texture? Noticed how branches connect to strong limbs, the tangle of roots in the undergrowth, and how leaves unfurl from tapering twigs? Have you felt the shiny new growth in spring, and noted the detail of its design, marvelled at its autumn glory, or been entranced by its outline against a winter sky? Have you seen the sun-light dappling the ground beneath, or causing a thousand raindrops to glisten like precious gems? Or taken time to observe the creatures which call it home?

To really observe a tree or anything else, we have to stop and take notice, take time out from our headlong rush, & give our full attention. Romans 1:20 says the Lord’s eternal power & divine nature are revealed in what has been made, and that the whole earth is filled with His glory. But so often we give our natural environment a mere cursory glance as we speed about our business, and don’t take the time to read the ‘book’ of creation. And so miss an opportunity to encounter the Creator.

Earth's crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
but only he who sees takes off his shoes;
The rest sit round and pluck blackberries.
(Elizabeth Barrett Browning)
​
One of the ways we can train ourselves to see is by ‘adopting’ a tree and observing it through the year, perhaps keeping a creative record* of some sort, such as photographs, poetry, drawings or psalms of praise; and then asking the Lord to speak to us through His creation. Maybe we’ll start to see earth really is crammed with heaven!

How does this relate to stress or the pursuit of rest? Following a tree, or any other natural object, in this way, makes us slow down periodically, put aside our anxieties & concerns, shift our focus away from ourselves, and allow peace to penetrate our souls. In addition it offers an encounter with the living God – the best stress-buster out there!
​

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There is something about a beautiful garden which appeals at a really deep level. I think it’s probably the call of Eden – the deep subliminal memory of the very first garden, planted not by people but by God, and given to Adam & Eve to enjoy, protect & develop. A garden is one of those places which perhaps cries ‘home’ to our hearts.

Eden was not only Adam & Eve’s place of work, rest and provision, it was also the place where they met with the Lord. Genesis paints a lovely image of the Lord’s presence in His garden:

So perhaps another part of the appeal of a beautiful garden is a subconscious expectation that here is a place where we might find God. It was a garden that Jesus retired to, to meet with His Father before His crucifixion, and it was in a garden that Mary Magdalene encountered the risen Christ. Time out in a special garden can quiet our clamorous souls, replenish our strength and enable us to hear the quiet voice of the Master.

The Quiet Garden Movement was developed in response to this belief, and has gardens worldwide providing outdoor space intentionally set aside for prayer, silence and refreshment.
Find out more: http://quietgarden.org/

We are also blessed in the UK with an abundance of RHS gardens, city parks and country-house estates open to the public...... So spring bulbs are blooming, and the trees are beginning to bud: let’s take time out for refreshment in a garden, and go with the expectation of encountering the Lord there.

Let's respond to the call of Eden...