“Right Now Matters”
By Dianne Prince
“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24, ESV).
It is easy to look back with regret and think, “I should have, but….” I should have trusted my first instinct. I should have been there more often. I should have spoken up.
While hindsight can be a great teacher, dwelling in the past is ultimately a waste of time. The only reason to reflect on past mistakes is to ask ourselves, “What lesson did I learn, and how will I act differently next time?”
The Psalmist reminds us not to get distracted by the past. Do not get stuck in the land of “if only”: If only I had paid more attention, gone with them, or done more. Avoid getting sidetracked by what could have, would have, or should have been.
Here is the reminder for today: the most important moment is not the past, nor is it tomorrow. The most important moment is now. Do not use today’s energy dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. We cannot relive yesterday. It is gone. And tomorrow is not promised. Our focus must be on the present and what we can do today. Real-time challenges await us, and there is ample opportunity to improve and get things right.
So, make a deliberate decision to embrace the present. Do not “wish” the day away because tomorrow holds something special or because today is not going as planned. Remember, God is in today’s plan. Take a deep breath, live in the moment, and be present right now.
