Focus on Today

It's a new week and almost a new month, and if you're one to really look ahead, it's almost a new year. Slow down. Today is enough to concern yourself with. Today alone needs to be my focus. How many times have you spent time planning for something that didn't happen? I'm not a big worrier anymore but I do like to plan ahead, but my nature of procrastination makes me a better last minute planner.

As a writer I've found I do my most efficient work when on deadline. If I try to work ahead too far, I come up empty of ideas. It seems the closer the deadline, the better I think. Whether it is procrastination or not, I find that when I'm most dependent on God - as in desperate need of an idea - that's when God gives me the words or thoughts I need.

That's what God wants us to be - dependent on Him every moment. I liked how "Jesus Calling" talked about being too much of a planner. "All that planning ties you up in knots and distracts you from Me." (July 26, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young). Jesus gives us what we need, when we need it; "the now and the next".

This weekend we lost a very dear friend suddenly and the shock hasn't worn off yet. It made me realize just how important it is to focus on today and Jesus. He guides our day and that's all we have - today. Walk with Him hand in hand today and you'll be where you need to be especially if He calls you home. I know my friend was there and that's where I want to be, too.

"What do we gain by all of our hard work? I have seen what difficult things God demands of us. God makes everything happen at the right time. Yet none of us can ever fully understand all he has done, and he puts questions in our minds about the past and the future. I know the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life, because God's gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do" (Ecclesiastes 3: 9-13 CEV).