I find myself constantly thinking about what is next, what will I do today and what will I do tomorrow. We are constantly making plans and thinking ahead about tomorrow. But what about today?
Are we making the most of the day we are living in right now. What are we planning for tomorrow that we could do today. Each day is a gift from God, and each day is a unique creation by God. Do we realize how precious each day of life is? Are we making the most of each day, each hour, each minute and each second we have been giving? I have to admit, I am not making the most of each second.
So, what can we do to be more deliberate with making the most of each second of life? We like to make plans or have goals to facilitate getting things done we want to accomplish. But God has plans for us too.
Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God’s plans supersede our plans. We need to include God’s plan for our life, when making plans for the future.
Proverbs 19:21 New International Version (NIV)
21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
What are God’s plans for our lives? How can we include God’s plans in our own planning?
James has few things to say about making plans for tomorrow;
James 4:13-14 New International Version (NIV)
Boasting About Tomorrow
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James has a way of cutting to the chase, and just saying it like it is, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We need to make the most of each day. If we live each day as if it were are last, how does that change our perspective?
We pray the Lord’s prayer;
Matthew 6:9-13 New International Version (NIV)
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’
Do we really mean it when we say “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”? We need to realize God is in control and whether we cooperate with his will or not, his will, will be done. We just need to submit our will for God’s will. If we lay our plans aside and say, “Lord use me however you wish”, what would happen?
We all have a limited number of days, God has determined the number of our days in advance. So, he knows what you need to accomplish each day to live out his plans for our lives. It makes sense to me to submit my plans to the Lord, and give him full control. Living my life with God in complete control puts my spirit at peace. It’s not that I don’t make plans or don’t have things I want to accomplish. I just realize when God intervenes and my plans are put on hold or changed, I don’t get upset, God knows best.
If we pay attention, and look at everything that happens in a day, we can see God’s hand at work. I always say, “everything happens for a reason”. Divine appointments happen each day, we just miss them most days.
I want to encourage you to change your perspective, and look at each day differently. God has a plan for each day of our lives. We need to perceive his hand at work in our lives each day. That requires us to open our spiritual eyes and ears, and pay attention. Paying attention to every detail of our day and looking for his hand at work.
God uses us wherever we are, at work, at home and at church. I work with a gentleman from Grenada. The other day he asked me if I was a Christian. I told him I was, and he said he was a believer too. He said he perceived that I was a believer. We have had a couple of conversations about our faith since then. God has a plan and a purpose for everything that takes place in our lives. I don’t know how God is going to use me, but there is no doubt in my mind that he will use me to accomplish his will. I don’t know how God is going to use this gentleman I met at work. Neither of us know the impact we have on each other and how we are accomplishing God’s will. But, there is know doubt, we met for a reason.
So, making the most of each day, has more to do with changing your perspective and paying attention to what God is doing, than making plans. So, I challenge you to take a step back and look at life differently.
May God bless you today! Thanks for reading my blog!E