Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast Episode 127 - Living Fully in the Moment

Welcome to the Terri Hitt – Live With Eternal Perspective Podcast
Episode #127 – Living Fully in the Moment

Thank you for entrusting and investing your precious time with me to seek, find, and follow Jesus together as we live with purposed eternal perspective.

Do you ever wish for an exciting change in your life? Guess what? Each morning I get to live a new adventure in the world of Legos. Like clockwork, my youngest expects me to play with her before her day officially starts. As soon as she is out of bed with teeth brushed and medicine taken, we are connected in a world of make-believe. We’ve held this date for 7 years.

Do you wonder whether it’s hard for us to maintain this schedule? Without fail, unless we have an errand that presses into our time, we do not deviate from our special time together. Sure, I think some might look at this as a trapping of sorts. To be honest, on days when I have a pressing schedule, it’s sometimes tempting to skip. Often many other things are pressing for my attention, and I’d have a valid reason (in my eyes, anyway) to say I’m just not able to play that day. Yet, God has shown me the importance, the blessing, and the privilege to connect with my girl in this special one-on-one way.

Maybe it’s because I’m an older, or “do-over” mom, or maybe it’s because my heart has been pierced with loss and grieves for more time with my oldest daughter, but I understand the eternal value in these simple moments. Without a doubt, I believe that the communication we share and the trust my daughter has placed in me stems in a very large part from this simple, but dedicated time, to just sit together and play.
Because I have proven myself reliable and we have bonded through this important way, my girl knows she can believe other things I tell her, ask her to do, or teach her. I’ve grabbed the opportunity to know her better through the very best way a child communicates – play. In a way, I’ve been gifted lost time, as well. Because I missed 9 years with my precious daughter, I recognize that God has miraculously gifted me the honor of being the one to teach her to play. Watching her learn the basics required for play were the beginning of a miracle that only He could supply. Although no one gave her time or recognition before, she has the most amazing imagination and ability to create. I’ve come to see facets of her personality and skills I would not have known otherwise.

Because I appreciate our time together very much, a comment she made one day that she is glad I “am childishly playful” was one of the best compliments I have ever received. As I pondered what this opinion meant to her, the worth she received from the time I dedicated to her, and how it made me feel, I thought of God at the beginning of creation. Think of every animal, insect, bird, fish, human, continent, and on and on. Do you think God could have made all He has so superbly unique without being childishly playful? My point is that God wants us to enjoy life, to live in full appreciation of the moment, lest we miss it altogether and yearn a missed opportunity forever. Yet, He also wants us to view our moments with a heart that craves our eternal home with Him and seeks the value of what we are doing for His kingdom and our walk with Him. He desires that we view what we are living now with eyes and heart for how He will use it for eternity, whether we consider what we are going through to be good or bad, easy or hard.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Our love for God should saturate our heart so that our motives always seek His glory.

Our walk with God should build up the walk of another for Him.

Knowing the relationship I am crafting with my daughter is not just for my joy and benefit, but is a mentorship for her and her relationship with Christ, I look at the time spent as an investment in her eternity.

I believe there are 5 tips to help each of us to remember to live in the moment, yet be directed by a mind set on eternity.

1. Seek God’s direction for your life. Unless you are actively and humbly submitting to Christ moment by moment, you will be deceived by fleshly desires.
• Commit to daily Bible Study – If daily reading or study is your goal, it will become a habit like brushing your teeth or making your bed. If an unexpected event happens and you are unable to read one day, you have a supply built inside to sustain you until the next day or you will miss it so much that you will look at even a few lines of the Bible to quench your thirst for truth.
• Keep an open dialogue of prayer through each day and stop to speak and listen to your Heavenly Father. Through study of His Word, we come to know our Heavenly Father in new and authentic ways. As we pray to and listen for the Father, we are even more attuned to the Holy Spirit within us.

2. Pray for discernment in your commitments and activity level.
• Let simplicity have more room in your life. When our schedules are too packed or we haven’t be led by the direction of our Father, we cannot hear the Holy Spirit or recognize His guidance.
• Be purposed in what you commit to. Our regular activities make life busy, but balanced. What we commit to has been prayed over and is used for Christ.

3. Cultivate a grateful attitude. Look for reasons to be joyful. Everything serves a purpose in your life. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Rest in the arms of your Heavenly Father. Trust His timetable and that He is present through what you consider set-backs. Look for Him at work and ask God to help you see Him clearly.

4. Practice living with a mindset like Christ.
• Let no grudges, bitterness, hatred, unforgiveness, or hurts take hold of your mind, heart, or spirit.
• Don’t take anything for granted. Take moments captive for Christ. How would God desire you use what happens in your life?
• Don’t expect perfect days. I’ve learned and matured more during hardship than have in ease. Look for God’s hand in everything you encounter.

5. Pay attention to the world.
• Look at culture, your life, clothing, interests, etc. through the eyes of Christ.
• Evaluate whether you are living for more of this world or living for the purpose you hold here. Ask God to show you where He desires you to change.

Balance your view of life with appreciation and a heart centered on God to ensure you make the most of every opportunity. Ephesians 5:15-20 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Don’t live for moments, but in the moment God has gifted you.

James 4:14 says, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

We each have a choice. Are we living in the moment or for the moment? When you live in the moment, we can appreciate what God has gifted to us. We know time is short. This moment is all we are guaranteed.

Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.”

If we are living for the moment, we tend to look only at that time, but not remember that the moments we have in this world are a gift; they are a time for serving the purposes our Father desires for us.

It’s easy to live for moments. Births, weddings, celebrations, vacations, the list goes on. Never let the focus on milestones or desires overshadow your need to live in the moment you now possess. Jesus celebrated, too. Yet even in the midst of big events, He kept His eyes and heart on the eternal. Nothing was more important than serving His Father and knowing that God’s desires for Him were completed.

Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Dear Heavenly Father, You are our Savior and we place our trust in You. Help us to remember that You are good. You call us to You, to come in good or bad times, and to center our thoughts on You. Father, Your Word shows us the way. Your love carries us. If we let You. Help us to set our minds on You, not the things of this world. Let that mindset penetrate each area of our life. The only way we can do that is to continue to seek Your face, heart, and mindset in all ways. We must be at Your feet, humbling ourselves under You. We must seek Your face first and last each day, and in the moments between. You know the plans You have for us. May we look forward to the future You have set for us with endurance and joy that comes only from You and a close relationship with You. Help us to look to You, Lord, and use Your strength as You guide us in Your truth and ways. Help our hope remain in You as our face seeks Yours. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Thank you for listening to this podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Additional episodes may be heard at terrihitt.com, but the podcast is also a part of the Spark Media Network. Now the podcast may also be found on the Edifi app, where you can find thousands of the best Christian podcasts in one place for your listening enjoyment.

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Have you listened to my second podcast, “Purposed Parent/Connected Child” yet? I hope you will listen to this new podcast, especially if you are raising children or influencing grandchildren. Please follow and share both of my podcasts with friends or family who would like to choose Christ over culture and be a parent (or be a grandparent) who connects with eternal purpose.

Remember, if we are not purposed in knowing Jesus ourselves and showing Him to the next generation, the world will direct them away from Christ. Live With Eternal Perspective helps us to find, trust, and follow Christ more intimately. Purposed Parent/Connected Child shares biblical, practical truths for parents and grandparents to influence and mentor Christ over culture.

I pray that what you hear on this podcast draws you nearer to God and helps you cling to Him, despite any circumstances in your life. Until next week, keep looking Up while focusing on new ways to Live With Eternal Perspective.