The reward of living for today
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. - Romans 13:11
J. Vernon McGee once attributed the secret to his longevity and ongoing strength to the fact that he took 12-14 vitamin pills a day.
One day he saw a man much older than he, and McGee bragged, “There isn’t a thing I can’t do today that I couldn’t do when I was 16!”
The old-timer was astounded, “Really?”
“Yes,” McGee replied. “It just shows what a pathetic 16-year-old I was!”
Dr. McGee was onto something that it seems people miss today. So many adults tend to look back on their past and think, “Everything was so great back then,” or, “I wish I could just go back and be young for one day.” What they don’t realize is that there is a tendency in all people to romanticize the past and downplay the present… to see days gone by as better than today.
But God calls us all to have a much healthier outlook. He wants us to have a healthy, balanced view of the past, and look at today as a blessing.
When you’re tempted to over-romanticize the past, think about all you’ve learned since you were very young and count your blessings today. Don’t live for what’s gone; live for what’s here and experience the joy of renewal each day!
Prayer Challenge
Pray that God would give you the perspective of living your life not in the past, but anew each and every day.
Questions for Thought
What are some stages in life that, as you look back on them, you tend to think were greater than they actually were?
What are the blessings or life lessons you have today that you didn’t have when you were younger?
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