“Don’t long for “the good old days.” This is not wise.”
~ King Solomon| Ecclesiastes 7:10 (NLT)

Good ol’ yesterday?

It seems like my mind continually wants to drift back to the good ol’ days. Things were simpler back then. No cell phones, no fear of walking through town at night, life was slower…. and no COVID crisis…ahh! In those days when I watched TV, I didn’t have to worry about a “surprise” hot sex scene or the constant barrage of the homosexual agenda. Yes, life was much better then…but was it really?

Perhaps in some ways, but you know how our minds work; we forget the hard stuff. Imagine days without air travel? Or endless hours spent in the library looking up references for a paper that you were writing by hand? Progress has been good for our lives… but not entirely.

Today is a Present

Then there is Today, with a capital “T”, truly a gift! Think of time spent with a cute baby or on a hike with your son. Or that first warm, crystal clear day after a long winter? Birds singing and flowers blooming… sweet! Or of how your heart is filled as you help someone who really needs you. We should relish Today!

Jesus made Today a priority:

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Jesus Christ| Matthew 6:34

He knew the importance of Today and set an example of how to live fully in it. Jesus was incredibly present with everyone he met; he never seemed to be in a hurry. If only we could be more like him! Why is it so hard for us to stay focused on Today?

Seems like all we do is regret what happened yesterday and worry about what is coming tomorrow. I remember hearing:

“Don’t let your worry about tomorrow steal your joy for today.”

It’s been shown that over 90% of what we worry about never happens, so what’s the attraction? How much of Today do you spend worrying about tomorrow? Even longing for the good ol’ days detracts from Today by making it seem inferior…a form of whining really. Longing for yesterday sucks the wind out of your sails!

Will tomorrow will be better?

I’m pulled by the hope that tomorrow will be a better day…. Yes, tomorrow will come and it will be better. Right? It’s almost like I want to take the good from the “good ol’ days” and project it into tomorrow along with all of the world’s advancements to boot. Surely, things will be better tomorrow: COVID will wane, we’ll freely socialize physically again, computer systems will become more efficient… think of all of the cool new things you’ll be able to do with your phone… seems like Heaven!

Yes, lots of great things are ahead, but what comes along? I’ve also heard it said that:

“Today is yesterday’s tomorrow.”

When thinking of tomorrow, we can’t ignore all of the disastrous trends we see happening… moral demise, global warming, thousands of species going extinct, our environment stripped of its natural beauty. If tomorrow includes all of this I’m not interested. Why would I long for this? As it stands, tomorrow looks like more of the same.

And then there’s Tomorrow

When the Israelites were at Meribah, lacking water, they quarelled with Moses, going so far as wishing for the “good ol’ days when they were slaves in Egypt”. Really?!

“If only you would listen to his voice today! The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah, as they did at Massah in the wilderness. Psalm 95:7-8 (NLT)

We need heed the psalmist’s advice and learn to listen to the Lord’s voice in the gift of Today. When we do, he’ll lead us to long for a different tomorrow… call it Tomorrow with a capital “T”. AKA Heaven. My heart jumps with joy as I think about Tomorrow… Solidly in God’s presence. Trouble, angst, doubt, fear, frustration, hurt wonderfully absent. Surrounded by beauty, everything humming in perfect harmony with “technology” beyond our wildest imagination. Why waste my time longing for anything short of this? I’ve concluded this:

Live for Today while Longing for Tomorrow

Let yesterday fade into the sunset and your vision for tomorrow vanish in the clouds. Create a magical mix as you bring the hope of Tomorrow into the presence of Today. Core to living this life is doing the work God has you here to do Today, your Life Mission, which brings the hope of Tomorrow to the people you encounter Today.

Don’t know your Life Mission? Our Reach New Peaks Guided Workshop will lead you to it. It will change your life, guaranteed.

Let’s talk.

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