It’s nearly impossible to talk about staying in the present without stumbling into a cliche’. So, let’s just get them out of the way. Eating elephants one bite at a time, thousand-mile journey’s one step at a time, winning championships one game at a time, we get it. I’m a bit partial to Matthew 6:34 instead. Each day has plenty of trouble of its own. Why worry about more than that?
Oh, that wasn’t rhetorical. This seems like a great time to plug the new suggestions and comments page. Click the underlined words there and send a message. I’m all ears. But seriously, why do we spend so much time dwelling on the past and worrying about the future?
Life is a live action event. Everything we do happens now. Regret may result from something that already happened, but the feeling itself happens live. And we may be worrying about something that may (or may not) happen later, but the worry itself is a today feeling.
My favorite workaround this is to put a positive spin on regret and worry. I prefer to “learn from my mistakes” and “plan for my future”. That sounds responsible right? And I’m not technically disobeying Jesus that way. Except in order to slide past Matthew 6:34 on a technicality, I have to ignore Matthew 6:33 altogether. It’s awfully hard to seek His righteousness while daydreaming about being Marty McFly.
Maybe that’s why 6:33 came first. If you listen to that, 6:34 really goes without saying, doesn’t it? I mean play that conversation with God out in your mind: ‘Seek Me and I’ll give you everything you need’. ‘Gee, I mean thanks and all, but I’m still worried'. Seriously?! Even I wouldn’t try to wiggle out of that one.
Best I can come up with, there are two logical explanations for worrying. You don’t think God can take care of you, or you think He lied. Well, that, or you skipped 6:33 because you were busy “planning”.
