WHERE DOES GOD HAVE YOU RIGHT NOW?

“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.” Psalm 16:11

Do you ever find yourself living for tomorrow? Do you ever catch yourself coasting through today because you are excited about the future? I know looking to the future is good, and I know God gives us exciting things to look forward to! It keeps life adventurous and the seasons of life give us this beautiful, at times unexpected, excitement in our living. What I want to encourage you in today is to remember that TODAY….THIS moment….is where God is….

God KNOWS your past and your future. He sees the big picture. But in order to get you from your past to your future, He needs you to take His hand in the NOW. He waits for you in this moment. He waits for you in a string of moments throughout your day. He is always there, ready to lead you. He is always there ready to comfort you. And when we set aside the things that feel so urgent, the to do list that is piled so high, and the overcommitment that stresses us out, it allows space and time to connect with Him. And not only that, it allows for space and time to connect with the ones we love.

I do not know where you are at…you may be a Mommy of little ones (that’s the first thing that comes to mind because that is where I am at), you may be working a crazy amount of hours at a job you love, you may be dancing for the ballet company of your dreams, you may be a young woman in the middle of studying for your math test, or you may be a husband hungry to go deeper with your wife and your children….

I do not know where you are at, but I know we have something in common….

Our world moves at a fast pace and we are distracted by so many things that FEEL so urgent. You and I  have the same struggle to be present because we are both human. So in this battle for time, space, and real connection with God and our loved ones, I want to encourage you to….

SLOW down in order to CONNECT….

What does that look like in practical terms? I know it feels impossible because again the URGENT feels more important….

1. In those moments of waiting…waiting in the car pool line, waiting in line at the grocery store, even waiting at a stop light, check in with God. This is a great, simple time to check in with the One who is just right there WAITING for you. Tell Him what’s going on in your day. Tell Him what’s on your heart. Tell Him thank you for anything! And if you are waiting with a loved one, check in with them. Ask about their day. Enjoy this moment of togetherness.

2. In those moments when someone you love reaches out to ask you a question or to spend time with you….maybe your three year old asks you to play Legos, maybe a family member calls you out of the blue, maybe someone you loves stops by. This time, instead of multitasking WHILE you answer to these loved ones, or saying “just a minute” to your child, or feel the need to clean your house before your guest pops over, check in with this loved one in a deeper way. Set aside the seemingly urgent (the emails, the laundry, the dishes) and knock their socks off by responding immediately, looking them in the eye, and really listening.

These moments of pausing in your day, are moments of grace that God doesn’t want you to miss. Typically we choose the urgent stuff over the moments of grace….maybe not intentionally, almost subconsciously, because that is our nature. We have to change our perspective and let God renew our minds….

Romans 12:2 says,

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Picture this….God has these beautiful moments of beauty, gifts of joy, peace, and laughter, wonder, and closeness to Him and to your loved ones stringed together for TODAY. We often miss them because other things SEEM more important. I am not saying to completely toss out your to do list and go sit by the beach everyday. I know you have a job to do whether it is dancing, teaching, working, or the full-time job of mothering…..What I am saying is that YOU WILL FIND GOD IN THE MOMENTS OF YOUR DAY, WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN AND NOTICE THESE MOMENTS OF GRACE. And when you find GOD in those moments, He will bless you not only with a closer relationship with Him, but a closer relationship with your loved ones. You will reap the blessings of going moment to moment with God.

This ain’t easy, yall! I might need to print this out and tape it to my bathroom mirror, because it is a daily battle to be present. But, oh, it will be so worth the fight!

So, where does God have you RIGHT NOW? For me,  God has me spending most of my days looking into the eyes of four pretty amazing people….my sweet husband and our three boys, Camp, Cooper, and Colt. It’s easy to “drift” sometimes away from them and more towards my list of chores thinking, there are “more important” things I need to be doing. Or sometimes, in the day in and the day out, I may feel like I am not accomplishing much…oh how Satan would like you and me to believe that! I want my husband and my boys to feel listened to, important, and deeply loved every day….that means I have to choose to go slow, be intentional, and connect with God in order to connect with them. THE most important gift you can gift your husband, your children, and the ones you love is a deeper relationship with God. To take time to connect with God in the moments of your day, will give you the perspective, the energy, and the purpose you need to be present.

I kind of feel like I am writing a letter to myself today, just to encourage you that you are not alone in the busyness and the distractions. I am praying for you today, dear reader. Only you and God know what you need to set aside or let go of in order to press into Him. It may look different for everybody. Ask Him what living in the present looks like for you. Press on. Press into Christ. Press into where God has you RIGHT NOW. Don’t wish you were anywhere else. His path brings life. His presence will bring you joy.

Prayer: “Dear God, You know exactly where I am at?. Thank You for where you have me in this season of life. Show me what is distracting me from living in the present moment. Help me live in the present. Help me see Your blessings and make choices to put aside the seemingly urgent stuff. Thank You that your Holy Spirit in me gives me everything I need to enable me to do that. Remind me everyday…

“This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24