Look At What Is In Front Of You.

I tend to think about the future a lot, especially when things go wrong. I think about the future as a way to ignore the truth about my present, clinging onto the the assumption that what is for me tomorrow is surely better than what I am going through at the moment.

When I get stressed out, school becomes overbearing, I miss my boyfriend, community living becomes frustrating, finances are slim, I miss my family—when the hard stuff happens, the thought of being present in them is not something I want to do. More often than not, I feel Jesus calling me to sit at His feet or iterating a similar statement. Despite Him calling me to do what He knows is best for me, I refuse, because the thought of processing my hurts and stresses is not attractive in the slightest bit.

I have to remind myself (a lot) that when I attempt to jump over my present circumstances—the stress, frustrations, and pain—I am just robbing myself of the joy I could be having despite my circumstances.

The Holy Spirit is constantly singing to me, “Look! I have given you a beautiful moment to process, breathe, and be with Me. Be present.”

Yet, I choose to ignore the present, because I choose to believe that if I don’t address the challenges, they will go away. I choose to believe that my hope for my future is what will keep my anxiety at ease.

So many things can make us want to run away into a future that we cannot grasp yet. We often fail to remember that we have no control over what happens tomorrow or even in the next hour. Our future is not guaranteed, nor are the plans that we make for it.

Why do we tend to hold on tighter to the future that we convince ourselves is surely promising than the present day that we are living and breathing in?

Yes, goals and dreams for the future are things that are good. Jesus loves our goals and dreams right alongside us, and He urges us to pursue the things that He has called us into. However, when a goal or dream becomes the thing on which we hold our hope, we will crumble real fast.

There is a huge weight that is lifted off of us when we allow ourselves to simply sit at Jesus’ feet and process what is going on in our hearts. He wants us to work through the pain, big and small.

Our Father in heaven is bigger than this broken world, and I am so thankful that He does not call us to face these burdens on our own. All He asks of us is to stop, hold his hand, and face what is in front of us with Him.

The days we are given are gifts that we will never be able to take back.

Let’s not be afraid look at what is in front of us, friends.

Let’s embrace it and hold it close, understanding that the moments we are given are moments only lived once.

Let’s rejoice in our sufferings today, and face them with confidence knowing our God has already given us victory.

words by Taylor Carlson and photo by Kailin Richardson