Please remember that any day you waste is one that you will never get back. Make sure that every day you live counts! I want to share with you some specific keys I have found to help me learn to live in the present moment and enjoy my life. I believe, if you’ll put them into practice in your life, they’ll help you too.
Give Yourself to What You Are Doing
When the term multitasking first became popular, everyone seemed to want to do it. Many job descriptions suddenly included phrases such as “must be able to multitask,” and they still do. While there are certainly times a person must juggle responsibilities and handle more than one thing at a time, I am not sure multitasking serves us well in everyday life, and I don’t think it should become the normal way we live. In fact, I think trying to do too many things at once creates stress and prevents us from enjoying any of them. Some people are able to do several things at once and still stay calm and focused, but even they have their limit and limits should always be honored. Whatever our abilities and work habits are, we need to be aware that stress, confusion, and frustration are not the way to enjoy the moment.
I want to challenge you to stop trying to multitask excessively and learn to give yourself to what you are doing. Commit to do one thing at a time and determine that you will enjoy it. It’s certainly fine to read a book while you sit in a waiting room before an appointment, but begin to resist the urge to simultaneously do more than one thing that requires brainpower or your full attention. For example, don’t talk on the phone while you try to pay bills online. Don’t make a list of weekend home improvement projects while you are supposed to be paying attention in a business meeting. Don’t put on your makeup while you are driving. Don’t answer e-mails or text messages while driving.
The ability to e-mail and text is certainly convenient and has enabled us to communicate much faster, but if we let every little beep of the phone or message that announces “You’ve got mail,” be the controlling factor in our lives, we will end up frustrated and often appear to be rude.
Listening requires your attention and pretending to listen when in reality your mind is on ten other things is not only rude, but it does nothing to build good relationships.
The Amplified Bible explains Ecclesiastes 5:1 this way: “give your mind to what you are doing.” In other words, train yourself to focus your full attention on what you are involved in at any given time. Then finish what you’re currently doing before you start something else. This kind of concentration requires discipline, but it’s worth it because being able to focus helps you enjoy the present moment. I recently made progress in this area when I decided that from now on if I was doing something important that I was not going to answer the phone. Usually I answer it no matter what I am doing and often find that it frustrates me and causes me to lose my focus. I look at the caller ID to make sure it is not an emergency, and I do return my calls, but I am not going to let them control me.
We will not enjoy the present moment and the gifts it contains if we don’t have balanced attitudes toward work. Luke 10:38-42 tells the story of Jesus’ visit to the home of two sisters, Mary and Martha.
Martha was “overly occupied and too busy” (see Luke 10:40). But Mary sat down at Jesus’ feet and listened to what He had to say. Martha was distracted with much serving; Mary determined not to miss the beauty of the present moment. And Jesus said that Mary made a better choice than Martha did. Jesus did not tell Martha not to work, He told her not to be frustrated and have a bad attitude while she worked.
Jesus wants us to work hard, but He also wants us to be wise enough to realize when we should stop all activity and not miss the miracle of the moment.
Breaking the bad habit of excessive multitasking may sound easy, but it is actually quite difficult in our society, so be determined to form new, balanced habits in this area. These texts are about learning to control your thinking, and the art of focusing on what you are doing is a vital part of that goal.
What multitasking “traps” do you most often fall into? Do the thoughts flying around in your mind make it feel like a freeway in rush-hour traffic? Take a deep breath, slow down, and be determined to only do what you can do peacefully and enjoyably.
Become Childlike in Your Approach to God
Acting like an adult is generally considered a good thing, and in most cases it is. But we are to approach God as little children-not being childish, but being childlike. One thing is for certain: little children can easily find a way to enjoy whatever they are doing. Our youngest son, Daniel, has always had a “let’s enjoy life mentality,” and I can remember when he was a small child how he thoroughly enjoyed all of life. I recall one day telling him to sweep the patio and noticed a few minutes later that he was dancing with the broom. Another time I made him stand in the corner to correct him for something he had done wrong and soon I noticed he was playing with the flowers in the wallpaper. I think we can learn a lot from watching little children. They find a way to enjoy everything-even chores or correction. They are quick to forgive any offense and trusting people comes easily to them.
Come to God with a childlike trust that does not always have to understand the “why” behind everything. Most parents get very weary of hearing their children ask why a hundred times a day and I believe God gets tired of it too.
Have simple faith; pray simple prayers; be quick to repent; and be quick to receive God’s help. Believe God is good. If you need forgiveness, ask God for it, receive it by faith, and don’t waste your time feeling guilty and condemned. With this kind of simplicity in your relationship with God, you’ll find yourself growing spiritually and enjoying Him more than ever. Remember, enjoying God at all times in whatever we are doing is our goal!
Think about It
What are three childlike traits that you could practice in your relationship with God?
