Most of us live by our calendars going from one engagement to another. Certain personality types concentrate on what will be happening mainly in the future. They can be so focused on their plans for the future that they are really not present in what is happening now. They miss the opportunity of appreciating the significance of the present moment.
One of the reasons the Spirit wants to give us the gift of patience is for us not to miss God’s action in the here and now. In the “fullness of time,” a phrase used in Scripture, it will come to pass. God wants us to trust in God’s plans. This trust allows us to depend on God to bring about God’s will for our life and gives us the peace we need to live a more joyful life. Living totally in the past or future can be unproductive. God wants us to experience how our past has led us to this present moment and how our future depends on what we are actively doing now to respond to God’s will. God will guide us into the future. What God wants for our lives will happen in the fullness of time.
- Do you spend a significant amount of time thinking about the past or future?
- Do you experience the joy of fully grasping the significance of the present moment?
- Have you been able to put into God’s hands what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future?
O God, help me to put my trust in you.