Living in the Here

There have been seasons in my life when I found myself looking backward, missing a chapter that had already closed. I would remember certain people, places, or moments and think, Life seemed simpler then. Maybe things were better back then.

But as I’ve grown in my faith, I’ve realized something surprising.

Sometimes we miss seasons that God actually delivered us from.

It’s funny how memory works. We tend to hold on to the highlights while quietly forgetting everything that led us to cry out to God in the first place. We remember the familiarity but forget the anxiety. We remember the comfort but forget the exhaustion. We remember what felt safe while overlooking the unhealthy patterns, the heartache, and the prayers we prayed asking God for a way out.

The Israelites struggled with this very thing.

After God miraculously rescued them from slavery in Egypt, they found themselves in the wilderness longing for what they had left behind. They remembered the food. They remembered what was familiar. They remembered Egypt through a distorted lens.

What they failed to remember was that Egypt was also the place of their bondage.

The wilderness wasn’t easy, but it was the place where God was teaching them to trust Him.

As I read Numbers 11, I couldn’t help but see myself in their story. There were times when I was so focused on what used to be that I almost missed what God was doing right in front of me.

Thankfully, that doesn’t happen nearly as often anymore.

Somewhere along the way, God taught me the importance of living in the present—the here.

Not in yesterday’s memories.

Not in tomorrow’s worries.

But in today.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (NIV).

God gave Israel manna one day at a time. He didn’t provide forty years’ worth all at once. He gave them exactly what they needed for that day.

Most of the time, He still works that way with us.

We want answers for the next five years, while God often gives us enough grace for the next step.

I’ve learned that peace grows when I stop living in the past or worrying about the future and simply meet God in the present moment.

Because God is here.

Right now.

In this ordinary day.

In this season.

In this moment.

And when we begin to recognize His presence in the here, we often discover that the place we are standing is exactly where we need to be.

Peace grows when I stop living in the past or worrying about the future and meet God in the present.

If you’re seeking more Encouragement today, you may find comfort in our Devotions or be strengthened by our Verse of The Day or Prayers, offering Scripture to carry with you throughout the day.