Missing the Present For the Future

I see it each and every year.

In anticipation of youth camp or mission trip, a student will get excited.  They rush their packing and inevitably forget something crucial for the trip.  Sometimes it's something small, like toothpaste or deodorant.  Other times it's something needed like a towel or a pillow.  Sadly, often it's their Bible.

Either way, we get so focused on certain aspects of the future that we miss crucial things occurring in our present.

Jesus addressed this is Matthew 6:34.  He said today has plenty of problems.  You don't need to add tomorrow's problems to it.

That's pretty sound advice. 

How much time do we dedicate to worrying about that upcoming meeting at the end of the week?  How much time is spent thinking about our yearly evaluations at work?  How much agonizing do we do for that big test or big game or performance? 

All the while, we miss the opportunities in the present.

Jesus isn't saying not to plan.  He's not saying don't prepare for the future.  In fact, scripture teaches just the opposite.  It's important to plan and prepare for the future.

What Jesus is saying is don't dwell on it.  Don't spend so much time thinking about your future that you ignore your present.  God has work for you today, right now, and it doesn't happen if you're too busy thinking about tomorrow.

Tomorrow has enough worry for itself.  Let's be honest, today is perilous.  Today you will be tempted.  Today you will sin.  Today you will have a conversation with someone that could have lasting effects for the rest of their lives.

If we spend too much time thinking about our future, those temptations become sins.  Those sins multiply.  Those conversations never take place.  God's kingdom is negatively impacted.

Jesus wants you to impact his kingdom today.  Will you?  Or is something coming up more important?

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