NOVEMBER 22, 2016

“The true definition of mental illness is when the majority of your time is spent in the past or future, but rarely living in the realism of NOW.” 
― Shannon L. Alder

EZEKIEL 27-28

25“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob. 26They will live there in safety and will build houses and plant vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’ ”(28:25-26) 

JAMES 4

13Now 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.” 14Why, 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. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

JOURNAL 

I have recently been overcome by how my life really is a mist that appears for a while and the vanishes. People are born and die everyday. This time next week my physical existence could be no more. So to count on tomorrow as a means of security is completely foolish. Live today and make the most of it in my relationships. Encourage those closest to me and reach out continually in love. This is my duty, this is my calling. To make it anything more is somewhat arrogant. I can plan for tomorrow...but to count on it as my happiness or as my source for joy is allowing the plans and hopes to take the place of God. 

Learn to live and soak in each moment in the presence of God and fully focused on what I am doing and the people I am with. This is where in the past I have allowed my mind and heart to run away from the moment with distractions of thoughts or emotions. These serve no purpose other than to take away from what is truly important. 

7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you.

JAMES 4:7-8