Last updated: 2025-10-07 08:59:59
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MOVEMENT 3: UNFORCED RHYTHMS (The Transformation)
Chapter 14: Living in the Moment
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Most of us live everywhere except the present moment.
We replay yesterday's conversations, regretting what we said or didn't say. We rehearse tomorrow's scenarios, anxious about what might happen or what we'll need. We carry the weight of past mistakes into today and borrow future worries to make today even heavier.
But we're rarely here. Fully present. Fully alive to this moment.
We wonder why we're exhausted. Why anxiety feels constant. Why life feels like it's always somewhere else—either behind us in regret or ahead of us in fear.
Here's the truth that changes everything:
This moment is enough.
Not because it's perfect. Not because all your questions are answered or your problems are solved.
But because God's name is "I AM"—present tense—and His grace meets you here, now, in this breath, in this step, in this exact moment you're living.
You don't need tomorrow's grace today. You can't access yesterday's moments anymore. All you have—all you've ever had—is this moment.
And when you stop running from it and start receiving it as the gift it is, you discover something remarkable:
It's enough.
This chapter is about learning to be present. To fix your eyes on Jesus instead of on what was or what might be. To trust that God's provision for this moment is sufficient. To stop living in two time zones—regret and anxiety—and come home to the only time zone that's real: right now.
Key Themes
1. Life as a Loan: Stewardship of the Present
Someone wrote: "My life is a loan given by God, and I will give it back with interest."
This is the heart of living in the moment. Not grasping at life as if it's ours to possess, but receiving each moment as a gift to steward. Not anxiously planning every future contingency, but investing today's grace into today's calling.
Living in the moment doesn't mean ignoring tomorrow. It means trusting that today's faithfulness is the best preparation for tomorrow's challenges.
Brother Lawrence writes in The Practice of the Presence of God:
"We must not tire of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees."
— Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
Life as a loan means recognizing that each moment is entrusted to us for a purpose. Not to hoard. Not to waste. But to invest. To use well. To offer back to God with gratitude.
When you see life this way, every moment matters. The ordinary becomes sacred. The mundane becomes meaningful. Because you're not just passing time—you're stewarding it.
And the beautiful thing about living this way is that you stop measuring life by achievements or accumulations.
You start measuring it by faithfulness. By presence. By how well you loved in this moment. How fully you trusted. How deeply you noticed God's grace.
2. Fixing Your Eyes: The Discipline of Focus
Fixing your eyes.
Not wandering eyes that constantly look around at what others have or what might go wrong.
Not backward eyes that live in regret.
Not anxious eyes that strain to see the distant future.
Fixed eyes. On Jesus. On this moment. On the grace that's present right now.
"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
— Hebrews 12:1-2
The race is now. The moment is here. Fix your eyes.
Richard Rohr writes in The Naked Now:
"The best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better. The best criticism of the unnecessary is the practice of the necessary. Learn to see what is right before you, and you will not be looking for what is not there."
— Richard Rohr, The Naked Now
Fixing your eyes isn't passive. It's an active discipline. A choice you make moment by moment.
Choosing to see this moment—not as a means to an end, but as the place where God is present.
Choosing to focus on what you can control—your response, your attitude, your obedience—and release what you can't.
Choosing to look at Jesus instead of at the waves. At truth instead of at fear. At grace instead of at guilt.
This is the practice of living in the moment: training your eyes to see what's actually here instead of what's missing or what might come.
3. Genesis 1:27 – Created in the Image of God
"So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
— Genesis 1:27
From the very beginning, Genesis tells us that we are made in the image of God. That means each moment of our lives carries divine weight and purpose.
Too often, we live either in regret of the past or in worry about the future, forgetting that the only time we are truly given is the present.
Adam and Eve were called to walk with God in the garden that day. Abraham was called to trust God in that moment of promise. Joseph was called to remain faithful in the middle of prison before the palace ever came.
None of them were promised tomorrow, yet God's presence was enough for them in the moment they were given.
Jean-Pierre de Caussade writes in The Sacrament of the Present Moment:
"The present moment is always filled with infinite treasure. It contains far more than you have capacity to hold. Faith is the measure of its riches: what you find in the present moment is according to the measure of your faith."
— Jean-Pierre de Caussade, The Sacrament of the Present Moment
Being made in God's image means you were designed for presence. For awareness. For living fully in the moment you're given.
When you embrace the present moment, you discover that God's grace is already here, waiting to carry you. Not grace for tomorrow. Grace for now. And it's enough.
4. Matthew 6:34 – Today's Troubles Are Sufficient
Jesus addresses our tendency to borrow tomorrow's worries:
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
— Matthew 6:34
This isn't fatalism. It's wisdom. Jesus isn't saying troubles won't come. He's saying don't add tomorrow's troubles to today's load.
Today has enough to carry. Don't make it heavier by adding what hasn't happened yet.
Frank Laubach, missionary and pioneer of literacy movements, practiced what he called "living in the moment with God." He wrote in his journal:
"Can I bring God back in my mind-flow every few seconds so that God shall always be in my mind? I choose to make the rest of my life an experiment in answering this question."
— Frank Laubach, Letters by a Modern Mystic
Living in the moment doesn't mean being oblivious to the future. It means trusting that God will give you what you need when you need it. That tomorrow's grace will come tomorrow. That today's grace is sufficient for today.
This is freedom. Real freedom. The freedom to engage fully with what's right in front of you instead of being paralyzed by what might come.
5. Mary and Martha: The Better Choice
The story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) perfectly captures the tension between doing and being, between productivity and presence.
Martha is distracted by preparations—good things, necessary things. But she's missing the moment. Missing the presence of Jesus right there in her home.
Mary, on the other hand, sits at Jesus' feet. Present. Attentive. Fully engaged in the moment.
Jesus' words to Martha are gentle but clear:
"Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
— Luke 10:41-42
The better choice: presence over productivity. Being over doing. This moment with Jesus over the endless list of tasks.
This doesn't mean tasks don't matter. It means they're not the ultimate thing. The ultimate thing is being present to God's presence. Being attentive to this moment. Being fully here.
Richard Foster writes in Celebration of Discipline:
"Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people."
— Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline
Living in the moment creates depth. It trains you to be present. To notice. To engage fully with what's right in front of you instead of constantly racing ahead to what's next.
Mary chose depth. Martha chose distraction. And Jesus said Mary's choice was better.
6. Practices of Presence: Cultivating Moment-by-Moment Awareness
Living in the moment isn't automatic. It's a practice. A discipline. A set of habits that train you to be present.
Here are some practices that help:
Compassion Meditation: Spend time daily bringing to mind people in your life and praying for their well-being. Let compassion anchor you in the present.
Commit Acts of Kindness: Small, intentional acts done today create present-moment connection and meaning.
Count Your Blessings Weekly: Once a week, write down specific things you're grateful for from the past seven days. This trains your eyes to see grace in the ordinary.
Breath Prayers: Simple prayers that sync with your breathing help you return to the present moment throughout the day. "Lord Jesus Christ / have mercy on me" or "Be still / and know."
Sabbath Rest: A weekly practice of stopping, resting, and simply being teaches you that your worth isn't tied to your productivity.
Brother Lawrence again:
"The most holy practice, the nearest to daily life, and the most essential for the spiritual life, is the practice of the presence of God, that is to find joy in His divine company and to make it a habit of life, speaking humbly and conversing lovingly with Him at all times."
— Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
These practices aren't about adding more to your to-do list. They're about training your attention. Teaching yourself to notice God's presence in this moment. Anchoring yourself in the here and now.
Biblical Parallels
Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 1-3)
In the beginning, God created humans and placed them in a garden. Not a palace. Not a temple. A garden—a place of simple, present-moment living.
God walked with them in the garden in the cool of the day. Presence. Relationship. This-moment living.
The fall wasn't just about disobedience. It was about reaching for something beyond the moment—grasping for knowledge, for autonomy, for tomorrow's wisdom today.
The story of redemption is, in many ways, God bringing us back to the garden. Back to simple presence. Back to walking with Him in this moment.
The Exodus and Daily Manna (Exodus 16)
When Israel wandered in the wilderness, God provided manna each morning. Daily bread. But the instruction was clear: gather only what you need for today. Don't try to hoard tomorrow's provision.
Those who tried to keep extra found it rotting by morning. The lesson: trust today's provision for today. Tomorrow will have its own.
This is living in the moment. Not grasping for more than you need. Not anxiously securing tomorrow. Just receiving today's grace and trusting tomorrow's will come.
Jesus' Temptation: Present Trust (Matthew 4)
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, the devil tried to pull Him out of the present moment:
"If you are the Son of God, turn these stones to bread" (solve your immediate problem with a shortcut).
"Throw yourself down and angels will save you" (test tomorrow's provision today).
"Bow down and I'll give you all the kingdoms" (take the future now, bypass the process).
Jesus' response every time? Stay in the moment. Trust the Father. Live by what God says today, not by what might happen tomorrow.
This is the pattern: present trust defeats future anxiety. Moment-by-moment obedience overcomes the temptation to control what's next.
Theological Anchor
"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith."
— Hebrews 12:1-2
This passage captures the theology of living in the moment. The race isn't in the past—those miles are behind you. The race isn't in the future—those miles haven't arrived yet. The race is now. This step. This breath. This moment.
And the key to running it well? Fixing your eyes on Jesus.
Not on the finish line so far you can't see it. Not on the starting line you've already left. On Jesus. Who is present. Here. Now.
Pioneer and perfecter. Jesus has run this race. He knows the way. And He's with you—not just at the finish, but in this moment.
This is the theological foundation for living in the moment: God is not just the God of your past or your future. He is the God of your present. The great "I AM"—not "I was" or "I will be," but "I AM."
"The LORD said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.'"
— Exodus 3:14
God's name is present tense. His presence is now. His grace is here.
Paul reinforces this in 2 Corinthians:
"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"
— 2 Corinthians 12:9
Sufficient. Not abundant for tomorrow. Not stored up for next week. Sufficient for today. For this moment. For this need.
That's all you need. And it's enough.
The Wayfarer Moment
The shift from living in anxiety to living in the moment changed everything for me.
For years, I lived in two time zones: yesterday and tomorrow. I carried regrets from the past and anxieties about the future. The only time zone I wasn't living in was the present.
And I was exhausted. Haunted by what I'd done wrong. Terrified of what might go wrong. Never fully present to what was actually happening.
Then I encountered this simple phrase: "This moment is enough."
At first, I didn't believe it. How could this moment be enough? There's so much to fix, so much to plan, so much to worry about.
But slowly, I began to practice presence. Small things at first.
Noticing my breath. Really tasting my food. Looking people in the eye. Listening without already planning my response.
And I discovered something remarkable: when I was fully present, anxiety loosened its grip. When I focused on this moment, the weight of yesterday and tomorrow lifted—at least for a while.
I started asking myself: What does faithfulness look like right now? Not tomorrow. Not in the big picture. Right now.
And the answer was always simpler than I expected. Love this person. Do this task. Trust this truth. Take this next step.
I began practicing what Brother Lawrence called "the presence of God." Simple prayers throughout the day. Pausing to notice grace. Training my attention to return to this moment, this breath, this opportunity to be present.
I'm still learning. My mind still wanders to yesterday's failures and tomorrow's fears. But more and more, I'm able to return. To this moment. To this breath. To this sufficient grace.
Because this moment really is enough. Not because it's perfect. But because God is present in it. His grace is here. His love is active. His strength is available.
And that's all I need.
Original Writing from the Blog
From the very beginning, Genesis tells us that we are made in the image of God. That means each moment of our lives carries divine weight and purpose. Too often, we live either in regret of the past or in worry about the future, forgetting that the only time we are truly given is the present.
Adam and Eve were called to walk with God in the garden that day. Abraham was called to trust God in that moment of promise. Joseph was called to remain faithful in the middle of prison before the palace ever came. None of them were promised tomorrow, yet God's presence was enough for them in the moment they were given.
The same is true for us. God is not just the God of our yesterdays or tomorrows—He is the God of today. The invitation is to breathe deeply, to notice His nearness, and to live faithfully right here, right now. When we embrace the present moment, we discover that God's grace is already here, waiting to carry us.
From the WordPress post "Living in the Moment" (September 2025)
Song Integration
The Season of Anxiety:
For most of my life, I lived anywhere but the present moment.
My mind was either in the past—replaying conversations, regretting decisions, obsessing over what I should have said or done differently—or in the future—worrying about what might happen, catastrophizing outcomes, trying to control variables I couldn't control.
The present? I was rarely there. Because the present required me to feel. To be vulnerable. To acknowledge what was actually true right now instead of what I wished had been or feared might be.
Anxiety was my constant companion. Not the clinical kind that needs medication (though that's valid too). But the low-grade, ever-present anxiety of someone who can't trust God with the moment in front of him.
I was always preparing. Always planning. Always trying to get ahead of the next crisis.
And I was exhausted.
The Wake-Up Call:
The breaking point came during a season of transition. Everything felt uncertain. My future was unclear. My past was full of regret. And the present? The present was terrifying because I couldn't control it.
A friend asked me: "What do you need right now? Not tomorrow. Not next month. Right now."
And I couldn't answer. Because I didn't know. I'd spent so long living in yesterday and tomorrow that I'd forgotten how to be present to today.
"Maybe the question you need to ask isn't 'What's going to happen?' but 'Is God's grace enough for this moment?'"
And I wanted to say yes. But honestly? I didn't know if I believed it.
What the Devotional Captures:
The devotional writing emerged from studying how God met people in their present moments throughout Scripture.
Adam and Eve weren't given tomorrow's grace. They were given the garden that day. And when they fell, God's mercy covered them in that moment.
Abraham wasn't promised the full picture. He was called to trust God in that moment of promise. And his "yes" in that moment changed history.
Joseph wasn't told the palace was coming. He was called to remain faithful in the prison. And God's presence was enough for the moment he was in.
The pattern was clear: God's people have always been called to live in the present tense. To trust that God's grace today is sufficient. That this moment—with all its uncertainty, all its difficulty, all its lack of clarity about tomorrow—is enough.
Because God is in it.
The devotional proclaims this truth: "God is not just the God of our yesterdays or tomorrows—He is the God of today. The invitation is to breathe deeply, to notice His nearness, and to live faithfully right here, right now."
What the Song Adds:
The song "This Moment is Enough" takes that biblical theology and traces it through redemption history, making it personal testimony.
Where the devotional teaches "God met His people in the present," the song walks through specific moments:
- The Garden (Verse 1): "In the garden mercy covered the fall… Love was alive in the moment back then." God's mercy wasn't promised for tomorrow. It was given in that moment of shame and exile.
- Abraham's Faith (Verse 2): "Abraham walked with nothing in hand, trusting the covenant, trusting God's plan." He didn't have proof. He had a promise. And that was enough for the moment.
- Joseph's Redemption (Verse 3): "Joseph was broken, then lifted again… What others meant for harm, God turned to grace." God's faithfulness wasn't just at the end. It was in the prison. In the moment. In the waiting.
And the chorus—the declaration that changed my life: "We're not promised tomorrow, only the breath we breathe. Here in this moment, God's mercy never leaves."
This isn't resignation. It's liberation.
I'm not promised tomorrow. I don't need tomorrow's grace today. I just need this breath. This moment. This sufficient grace right here.
The Progression in the Song:
The song moves through a specific arc:
- Historical Faith (Verses 1-2): Looking at how God's people learned to live in the present—the garden, the flood, Abraham's "yes."
- The Declaration (Chorus): "This moment is the promise. This moment is enough." Not because the moment is perfect, but because God is in it.
- The Bridge (connecting past to present): "These ancient stories are the ground beneath our feet. The God of creation still makes our lives complete." What God did then, He's doing now.
- Personal Application (Verse 3): Joseph's story becomes my story. "Redemption is here in the moment we're in." Not someday. Now.
- The Resolution (Final Chorus/Outro): "This moment is a gift of grace—this moment is enough." Repeated. Proclaimed. Anchored.
Why the Song is a Response, Not an Echo:
The devotional teaches biblical theology about God's present-tense faithfulness.
The song testifies to what happens when you actually try to live it.
Where the devotional says "God met His people in the present," the song confesses "I've been living in the past and future, and I'm learning to come home to now."
Where the devotional proclaims "God is the God of today," the song wrestles with "but what if today isn't enough?" and answers with "it is, because God is in it."
The devotional is the truth. The song is the practice.
Together, they answer the anxiety that haunts so many of us: What if tomorrow falls apart? What if I can't handle what's coming? What if this moment isn't enough?
And the answer—proclaimed in Scripture, testified in song—is this:
You're not promised tomorrow. You don't need tomorrow's grace today. You just need this moment. This breath. This sufficient mercy.
And it is enough.
Not because the moment is perfect. Not because the future is secure. But because the God who met Adam in the garden, Abraham in the desert, and Joseph in the prison is the same God meeting you right here, right now.
His name is I AM. Not "I was" or "I will be." I AM. Present tense. This moment. This breath.
And that—truly, miraculously—is enough.
Song: "This Moment is Enough"
[Verse 1]
In the garden mercy covered the fall,
Two hearts broken, yet God heard the call.
The waters rose, but His promise remained,
A rainbow whispered through the pouring rain.
Love was alive in the moment back then.
[Chorus]
We're not promised tomorrow, only the breath we breathe.
Here in this moment, God's mercy never leaves.
From Genesis to Jesus, the story carries us—
This moment is the promise,
This moment is enough.
[Verse 2]
Abraham walked with nothing in hand,
Trusting the covenant, trusting God's plan.
Years went by, but His word held fast,
A future was born from a simple "yes."
Faith is alive in the moment we live.
[Chorus]
We're not promised tomorrow, only the breath we breathe.
Here in this moment, God's mercy never leaves.
From Genesis to Jesus, the story carries us—
This moment is the promise,
This moment is enough.
[Bridge]
These ancient stories are the ground beneath our feet,
The God of creation still makes our lives complete.
From the garden to the cross, from the grave to today,
The God who redeemed them is redeeming us the same.
[Verse 3 – Final Verse]
Joseph was broken, then lifted again,
From prison walls to the palace of men.
What others meant for harm, God turned to grace,
Forgiveness and mercy took sorrow's place.
Redemption is here in the moment we're in.
[Chorus – Final]
We're not promised tomorrow, but love is here today.
The God of all beginnings is guiding every step we take.
From Genesis to Jesus, His story carries on—
This moment is the promise,
This moment leads us home.
[Outro]
The story isn't over, the story lives in us.
This moment is a gift of grace—
This moment is enough.
This moment is a gift of grace—
This moment is enough.
Reflections for the Road
These aren't homework assignments. They're invitations to practice presence.
Questions for the Journey:
- Where do you spend most of your mental energy—past, present, or future?
Be honest. Do you replay yesterday's mistakes? Rehearse tomorrow's worries? Or are you present to what's happening now?
What would change if you brought your attention back to this moment?
- What does "fixing your eyes on Jesus" look like practically for you today?
Not in general. Not in theory. Today. In this moment. What does it mean to look at Jesus instead of at your circumstances?
Write it down. Be specific.
- Read Genesis 1:27 and Matthew 6:34 slowly. What is God saying to you about living in the present?
How does being made in God's image affect how you view this moment? How does Jesus' teaching about not worrying change how you engage with today?
- What practice of presence could you begin today?
Breath prayers? Gratitude journaling? Compassion meditation? Sabbath rest?
Pick one. Not five. Just one. And practice it this week.
Practice: The Daily Examen
One of the most powerful practices for cultivating present-moment awareness is the Daily Examen, a practice developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola. Here's a simple version:
1. Become aware of God's presence
Take a few deep breaths. Acknowledge that God is present with you right now. Thank Him for this moment, this day, this breath.
2. Review the day with gratitude
Walk through your day from start to finish. Notice where you saw God's presence. Where you experienced grace. What brought joy, peace, or connection.
Thank God for these moments.
3. Pay attention to your emotions
What moments stirred strong emotions—joy, anger, peace, anxiety, gratitude, frustration?
Don't judge them. Just notice them. These emotions are often clues to where God is at work or where you need to pay attention.
4. Choose one feature of the day
Pick one moment that stands out—good or bad. Sit with it. What was God doing in that moment? What was He inviting you to? What can you learn?
5. Look toward tomorrow
Not with anxiety, but with hope. What's one thing you're facing tomorrow? How do you want to respond? What grace do you need?
Ask God for that grace. And trust that when tomorrow becomes today, the grace will be there.
This practice—done daily, perhaps before bed—trains you to notice God's presence in ordinary moments. To live with awareness instead of on autopilot. To see each moment as sacred.
And over time, you discover the truth: this moment really is enough.
Closing Image
You're standing at the edge of tomorrow, but you're not stepping into it yet. Not because you're afraid. But because you're learning the sacred art of being here. Now. In this moment.
The sun is setting on today. Tomorrow is still dark, still unknown. But this moment—this space between what was and what will be—is filled with light.
You can feel it. God's presence. Not in yesterday's memory. Not in tomorrow's promise. Here. Now. In this breath.
You remember the journey. The swamp. The water's edge. The unforced rhythms. The redemption of waste. The victory over the enemy. All of it leading here. To this moment.
And you understand: every moment of the journey was preparation for this. For learning to be present. To trust. To receive this moment—just as it is—as enough.
Tomorrow will come. It always does. And when it arrives, it will bring its own grace, its own challenges, its own moments.
But you don't need tomorrow's grace today. You just need this moment's grace. And it's here. Sufficient. Complete. Enough.
You whisper the prayer that's become your anthem: "This moment is a gift of grace. This moment is enough."
And you mean it. Because you've learned the secret: God is the great I AM. Not I was. Not I will be. I AM.
Present tense. Here. Now. In this moment.
You take a breath—deep, full, grateful. And you step forward. Not into tomorrow. Into this moment. The only moment that's actually yours.
And in this moment, you find everything you need: grace for this breath, strength for this step, love for this person, wisdom for this choice.
This moment is enough.
Not because it's perfect. But because God is in it.
And God is always enough.
The journey continues. There are miles ahead. But you're not walking them yet. You're walking this step. Living this breath. Trusting this moment.
And this moment—this sacred, grace-filled, God-inhabited moment—is enough.
More than enough.
It's everything.