Making The Most of The Moment

by Dorothy Teague

My oldest son had special needs and my days were full of endless tasks to give him a quality of life. When I would get completely exhausted, I began asking God for a weekend to myself, then just a day, then a night to sleep. As our life went on, I found myself just asking God for a “moment.” A moment to myself to think straight, to enjoy a sunset, a moment to be “me” instead of caregiver, mom, and wife. I began thanking God for each tiny, precious moment He gave me. I soon found that the more I appreciated each of those times, the more I felt at peace with the road God had given me to walk down. Don’t get me wrong—it was hard. While I was planning my way, the Lord was establishing my steps (Proverbs 16:9) in the plan that He had for me.

Even before I was a mother, I had a habit of rushing through my life without enjoying the moment I was in, always thinking about what was on the horizon. Psalm 118:24 tells us that “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” We cannot afford to not be present in each moment of our lives. There are golden nuggets in each day that will pass us by if we are too busy thinking of what we are going to do next. I hate to admit it, but I have always been a worrier, but the Word admonishes us in Matthew 6:34 to “not worry about tomorrow.” There is a reason our time is segmented into days and nights. God knew how much we could handle at one time.

While we should not rush through our lives, we should not waste a moment of our lives either. James 4:14 reminds us that our life is a vapor, here for a little while, then it is gone. That verse drives the point home to me that we should be careful how we spend our time and ask for the wisdom of God to direct our lives and activities. Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity.” We know, as Christians, that any day could be our last here on this earth, so it is important to use our time wisely. Sharing the good news of Jesus, loving one another, and doing good deeds are but a few of His commands. I once wrote a song called “No

Ordinary Days.” Truly, every day that God gives us is an extraordinary day and we should want to do good with each one we are given (Psalm 37:3) to give glory back to Him.

Time is so fleeting. We all have an expiration date on our lives. So, while we are here, we should make the most of all our moments. We cannot do anything about the past; it is gone. We cannot do anything about the future; it is in God’s hands. All we can do is live fully and completely each moment we are given in the present. Time is a gift He gives us each day to open and enjoy and glorify Him with our lives.

About The Author

Dorothy Teague is a Tennessee native, who resides in McMinn County with her husband, Lewis, on their farm. After completing 31.5 years as a teacher in the Bradley County School System, she is active in her church at Eastanallee Baptist Church where she is a member of the choir and praise team.