Stop chasing someday, start leading today
Adobe
They sang with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord: "For he is good; his faithful love to Israel endures forever." Then all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord because the foundation of the Lord's house had been laid. But many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads, who had seen the first temple, wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple, but many others shouted joyfully. The people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shouting from that of the weeping, because the people were shouting so loudly. And the sound was heard far away.—Ezra 3:11-13
Two mindsets that can prevent us from living our best lives today. One is hallowing the good ol' days, and the other is placing all our hopes on someday.
I remember all of my good ol' days with crystal clarity. A wise counselor might point out here how my recollection might be tainted in my favor a wee bit as I cast a little more light on what I did right and a little less light on what really happened.
Even so, I have my Dave's Hall of Fame Moments I enjoy visiting from time to time. There is something comforting about knowing you did something right. It's good to remember when you did something that honored God and blessed others.
Here's the problem with longing for the good ol' days:the good ol' days might not have been as good as we remember. Also, some people get stuck in good ol' days. Not us, of course, but some people somewhere. Maybe people we know or work with, or who are related to us.
Some people are living for the weekend, living for graduation, and living for someday. They are so focused on some distant event or circumstance that they are perfectly incapable of staying focused on what's important now.
You may know me well enough that you can see an acrostic coming from a mile away. Well, here it is: If you want to WIN at life, you need to give your best focus to What's Important Now.
Plan ahead, yes. Learn from the past, of course. Experience is not the best teacher; evaluated experience is. A friend wrote a corollary to this wise nugget when he declared, "Experience is not the best teacher; a person with experience is." How I have I missed this timely proverb until now? It's definitely going in my rotation of good quotes.
The past is a good instructor when properly reviewed. The future is a good motivator when properly planned. Even so, we live in this moment and not the past nor the future. What's Important Now is a question as powerful and timely as What does this make possible?
With yesterday's wins and lessons, with tomorrow's hopes and possibilities, how will you live today? What's Important Now?
- What is the most important thing you need to accomplish today?
- When you do that, what are the next two items you need to get started or finished today?
- Should you nail your Top Three, what tasks can you complete or make progress on to turn this into the most productive day possible?
- What will make this day a WIN?
Remember the past and build on what you learned there.
Plan for the future and develop the habits and skills today that will deliver you to that blessed state of being and accomplishment.
Live today as if it is all you have because, as you have learned by now, it is. This is the day you looked forward to once upon a time. This is the day you will look back on one day.
I will live every moment with the wisdom of the past, the hope of the future, and God's strength for today.
Prayer: Our Father, yesterday is such a wise instructor. Thank you. Tomorrow is full of possibilities. Thank you. Today is a gift. Thank you. Empower us for this present. May we know your presence in every moment. Amen.
 | David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co. Learn More » |
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