Your Eternal “Nows”
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43:18-19)
“Eternal Nows!” I regularly read articles written by Thomas Oppong and was touched by this phrase in his article, “Life is a Series of Eternal ‘Nows.’” Oppong reminds us, “Life is happening right now, with or without your consent.” We have less control over our nows than we would like to admit. All the struggles, all the hard work striving to carve out our well-crafted future we strive to achieve, and we don’t have nearly the control over the making of our lives as we’d like to think.
That does not mean we give up planning, but we are honest about our level of impact. Once we acknowledge our limitations, we free ourselves from the burden of trying to create ourselves. When we let go, just a little bit, we begin making room in our cramped life for the Spirit of God. With the Spirit’s support, it becomes easier to embrace life’s complexity by living in the moment.
Oppong quotes Howard Zinn’s statement, “The future is an infinite succession of presents.” We make thousands of small decisions each day, most of which are done subconsciously. The better we become at living in the moment, the more we can make conscious decisions. Living consciously is more fulfilling, and we feel more in control of our lives. Oppong suggests, “When we are in the moment, each ‘now’ is a new beginning. Each ‘now’ is a new opportunity to grow, learn, and change our minds and hearts.”
Today, focus on as many ‘nows’ as you can. Recognize the little joys and struggles and evaluate them before responding on emotional autopilot. Pray for the patience and wisdom to re-think before you re-act. Then, at the end of your day, do not forget to reflect on the many ways your ‘nows’ are enhancing your quality of life. Finally, thank God for placing each of these ‘nows,’ even the negative ones, in your life. Each now provides divine wisdom and depth of meaning to our life.