Tomorrow's Trouble

This weekend the scripture basis for the message was Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." The Big Idea was that we should focus on today and trust God about tomorrow. For the purpose of tough times we believe that whatever struggle we may be facing is fleeting and temporary. I have heard it said before that as Christians we are to focus on the eternal and not on the temporary circumstances of this life. I believe that is true but it started me thinking about living in the moment. For me a lot of times I think I confuse living for the moment and living in the moment. Instant gratification has always been on my daily to do list if I am honest. I have always found it easy to justify what I want to have or do in the moment usually foregoing the implications to tomorrow. After all it's scriptural - I am letting tomorrow worry about itself since I sure wasn't.

So I have been wrestling with the difference between living in and living for the moment. The best I can figure it is back to that eternal perspective. If I am living for the moment than I am willing to sacrifice tomorrow and beyond for the pleasure of right now. It's the ultimate in letting sin run my life. I want the apple from that tree right now kind of stuff. Living in the moment is recognizing that the fear that holds me back from responding to God's prompting is usually selfish concern for me in this life. That may be oversimplifying it but that is what I have come up with so far.

I once heard someone define the way they quantified spiritual maturity was the amount of time from when they hear God speak to the time they act on it. The shorter the time the more mature they were becoming. That has stuck with me. In some cases I think I do not have enough of an eternal perspective and that blocks my spiritual maturity. Or in worse cases I live for the moment and make it all about me. Either way it is in my best interest to realize in this life tomorrow will take care of itself and my future is secure in He who holds all things together. And when He says "Go" I go.