I would like to start off this blog with a shameless promotion of myself... I'm sure you know that I play in a band called children 18:3 and we're releasing a new album June 19th. We've released the first single online, called Moment To Moment, and you can listen to it here. (please take a sec to do so and then we can continue... ready? oh! and let me know what you think!)
Alright, so this song is a story. There's a guy who works at the circus. He is just a janitor but has dreams of one day performing, maybe walking the tightrope or even being a carnival master! As his life goes on, day after day he works, cleaning and doing the mundane, mindless tasks while watching the circus performers around him excel. And eventually he finds out that if only he had applied himself to learning and practicing, he could've lived out his dream. But instead he only fantasized about it while trudging out the easy, mindless work that he knew.
So, we've all heard the phrases... "Every second counts" or the ever popular, "Live each day like it's your last". I really hate those... I mean, sure it's a nice thought. And an admirable goal! But let's be honest, who actually does it? Oh yeah, I'll go there. I'll be up front and admit, I waste a lot of time. Not a lot of my seconds count for much and I wouldn't want most of my days to be the ever-defining "last day of my life". So basically, phrases like that feel like a guilt trip.
But as I thought about this song, the Holy Spirit brought to my mind a different side of the story, one that changed my whole perspective (love it when He does that!). I call it, "living in the moment".
See, looking back on wasted time doesn't do any good. We can't get it back. And feeling guilty doesn't pay out in any way! What we need to do is: stop. press delete. move on. That simple!
Do this with me: right now, just pause. Think about your heart, are you completely at peace right now? Or (like me, usually!) is there something, maybe several things, pressing on your mind? Causing turmoil, worry, regret. For example, today I'm dealing with a confrontation I'm going to have to make and it's killing me! I hate to shake things up, I'm a "bury it deep and hope it goes away!" kind of girl. But I know I have to address it cause my heart is not at rest. (I may or may not do a blog on confrontations in the future...stay tuned) So, you probably can think of a thing or two, right? Maybe you skipped devos yesterday, or all last week (I've been there, sister!). Maybe you had an argument with a sibling or friend and said something you aren't proud of, or wasted an entire day watching food network on Youtube (yeah, done that too) Whatever it is... right now, stop. press delete. Tell Jesus how much you love Him.
Look, I am not a super christian... and I'm guessing you aren't either- cause I don't think they actually exist! I will not be able to make every second count. Nor will I be able to live every day in some kind of perfectly holy, dedicated way that somehow justifies my whole life if I died at the end of it! But here's what I CAN do. I can stop dwelling on wasted moments in the past. I will stop worrying about the next moment (hour, day, month...) And I will simply love Jesus right now. In this moment. Whoa. Got teared up for a sec. (guess that means He's lovin' on me right back!)
The best I have to give the Lord is this second, right now. And that counts. That blesses God. That is what I want to die doing. Giving Him THAT moment.
Delete everything that has happened before this next breath... ready? Inhale, exhale. Tell Jesus how much you love Him.
Good job in life! You are a super christian in my book. :)
Keep running!
LM
