We all play little movies in our minds.
Some of them are replays. Like last week’s coffee date with a friend. Or a special family occasion. Or that regretful “I wish I could take back what I said” moment. Other movies are musings of the future. Looking forward to a vacation, anticipating the birth of a child, or dreading a difficult meeting.
Whether the mental movie reel is from the past or the future, it’s almost certain that a fair bit of editing has occurred. This is no surprise when it comes to events that haven’t happened yet because – well – they haven’t happened yet! (Unless you’re a time-traveller, in which case, I’d like to talk to you.) The past, however, has a way of becoming blurred, and we edit here and there until we’re convinced that the past we “remember” is really how it was. The reality, if we were able to relive the past, would often be quite different than the movie we’ve been watching in our minds. Compare notes with someone you’ve shared a specific experience with and you’ll see how their recollection is not quite the same as yours.
What’s my point?
All we have is the present. Now. This moment.
We can replay the movie reels of the past over and over again, completely missing the joy and wonder and opportunity of this day. We can also create movies about what is to come, often causing unfounded worry and fear to overwhelm the precious moments of the here and now.
It’s a choice. We always have the choice.
Those movies from the past? Watch them, if you like, but don’t camp out there. And the future? Let God handle that for you. He’s actually a lot better at it than you are!
“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” – Matthew 6:34 (MSG)
Inside the Writer 