Matthew 6:34

I've always told myself that I am that girl that "lives in the moment." I've always believed that I am the type of person to take things one day at a time. I always thought that I focused more on the present than the future.

The past month that I have been away at OSU, I find those three statements to be completely false about me.

Since I've been away at school, I realize that I don't live in the moment. I don't take things one day at a time. I focus more on the future than the present. I have spent countess hours worrying about school-assignments, tests, etc. I worry about what my grades will look like at the end of the semester or my college career. I worry that I don't have what it takes to be successful in my major. I worry that I'm not good enough for this. I just plain worry. And what is so ridiculous is everything I worry about is in the future. On most days you will find me saying to someone that "I just want to graduate and start teaching/coaching." But once again, that is so far into the future.

Does anybody get what is completely wrong with this picture? I am not focused on the present whatsoever. I am worried about what could happen in the future. But, God calls me to live in the present. He calls me to live in the now. He calls me to live for today. So why am I so wrapped up in what the future holds and why do I worry about it so much? Why am I not living for today?

The past couple of weeks, I feel like God has been trying to get this point across to me in my life. And yesterday, this concept just slapped me in the face. All this worrying I am doing is doing absolutely nothing for me. I don't want to look back in 10 years and see that in college the only thing I did was worry about my future. That will get me nowhere. I want to look back on my life in 10 years and notice that I lived in the moment. I lived day by day. If I am spending all my time worrying and thinking about the future, I am going to completely miss out on what God has planned for me NOW.

God has so much planned for me today. The present. Now. And while He does have a plan for me in my future also, He wants me to focus on his plan for me now. There are people he wants me to come into contact with and show His love to...today. There are people He wants me to meet and speak encouraging words into their lives...today. There are people He wants me to be a light to...today. He has called me to be Jesus to others...today. He has called me to bring Him glory in every little thing I do throughout the day...today. He has called me to include Him in my everyday life...including today. He has asked that I go to Him when making decisions...today. He has asked that I not worry...today. He asks that I bring him all my burdens and cares...today. See where I am going with this? He is calling me to live for today and not focus on the problems or worries of tomorrow.

The verse that keeps coming back to me is Matthew 6:34 (Message version):

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

From this day on, I chose to live for today. I chose to live in the present. I chose to live for NOW. I'm not going to worry about what may or may not happen in my future. I'm thankful that God has my future figured out and I don't have to worry about it. I am also thankful that He has TODAY figured out for me and He is with me every step of the way.

"You told me not to worry about what lies ahead, so I am gonna focus on today instead, making every moment count and counting every single blessing..." -Natalie Grant