Therefore, stop worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:34 (CEB)
There are gobs of books whose authors urge us to “embrace the now.” They aim to help us understand the futility of gripping onto the past or fretting over the future instead of just living in the present. I understand the importance of this in the many ways it’s been presented to me over the years. I get it, but it’s just so hard!
How can I willingly disregard all that’s happened leading up to now? Or not fret over making the best decisions in the present so I won’t suffer needlessly in the future? I quite like having my past around to remind me of mistakes I can avoid in the future. I’m fond of having a plan, a backup plan, and a backup plan of my backup plan because the future is so unknown.
While I know my past doesn’t define me, it turns out I can spend unreasonable amounts of time and energy poring over previous situations, replaying scenes in my head that can’t ever change. I’ve been too distracted to see what was going on in front of me because my mind was busy trying to manage the future, a task doomed to failure (as evidenced by the last few years navigating a global pandemic).
As we await the arrival of the Christ child, I invite you to join me in my quest to be more available for today, leave yesterday where it is, and trust that tomorrow will arrive when and if it so chooses.
Redirect our wandering attentions from your gift of the present. Help us discard our worries and embrace the now.
