Live in the Moment

Throughout my life, I have often found myself wrestling with the many possibilities of the future. I seek out the things to come and put my current life on the back burner. And while planning for the future and having ambitious goals is a good thing, I've recently learned the power that comes from prioritizing the present.

In my pursuit of ministry, I've always been told not to wait, but to go out and start ministry right where I'm at. And though I agreed with what they said, I struggled to apply this to my life. Instead of viewing my current home as my mission ground, I dreamed of where the Lord would take me in the future. But the truth is that your purpose and your calling don't rest in what's to come, but rest in you. So, where you are, there your calling is also. 

Understanding this is key to embracing your current season of life. As a high school student, I used to think that my purpose would be fulfilled once I got a job. But calling is not a career. Calling is who God created you to be. So, I decided that this school year I was going to live differently, and in an effort to cultivate revival in my school, I took advantage of every opportunity that came my way. Since September, my school hosted See You at the Pole, my teacher started a devotional, a student who was lost is now regularly attending church, another student had an incredible encounter with the Lord, and so on. If I hadn't embraced where the Lord has me now, I would have missed every opportunity He laid before me. 

Are you embracing where the Lord has you now? If not, what are you waiting for? Colossians 3:17 reads:

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

This is saying that wherever you are and whatever you do, you are to "do it all in the name of Jesus." It does not instruct us to wait for the Lord to qualify us, He already has! As believers, we are all qualified to share the gospel, and there is no point in waiting to share life-changing news. The truth of the matter is that tomorrow is not a promise to us, and if we spend each day waiting for the next one to come, we diminish our purpose. Therefore, we ought to live in the moment and look for the ways God is moving in our everyday lives. My challenge to you is not to push off your purpose for tomorrow, but to look for ways to live out your calling today.