Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 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. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13–16

A couple of days ago as we were walking, Rebecca asked what something that I would miss during this pandemic might be. I quickly replied “looking forward.” I am not a very spontaneous person. I like to plan ahead. I enjoy planning a vacation almost as much as actually going. Like most of you, I had made a lot of plans for this year. I was excited about new ministry initiatives, travel to meet with partners on the other side of the world, a special vacation, and now those probably won’t happen. So that is both frustrating and sad. In addition, it is very difficult to make new plans because of the uncertainty of the months ahead.

However, this time is teaching me to savor the small things in each day — to live in the present instead of in my plans for the future. So often I am preoccupied with what is going to happen next week or even in the months to come. James reminds us that too often our planning is rooted in our own self‑absorption and the illusion that we are in control of our lives. Just a few weeks ago we were making all kinds of plans without as much as a thought of God. The words from James and these days of disruption remind us that we should instead enjoy the gift of this day, living in the present moment and seeking first the will of God for all our future plans.

For Reflection

• How might you enjoy the gift of this day without focusing on your concern for the future?

• When this pandemic ends, how can we seek God’s will first for our future plans?

Prayer

Lord, help me to look forward to today. Even as we lament the difficulty of this season, we ask that You give us the grace to savor this day. Help us to see how You are using this time to form us now and for the future. Lord, we pray that Your will be done and ask that all our hopes are rooted in Your plan for our lives. Amen.