Prepare for Eternity by Living for Today
Submitted by: John O. Andersen
Author: John O. Andersen
Date Sumbitted: Mar 20, 2006
"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." Alma 34:32
"Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself..." Matthew 6:34
It sounds like a contradiction. Some people believe that you either prepare for eternity or live for today. But you can't do both.
I propose that you can do both. In fact, may I be so bold as to suggest that living for today is the BEST way to prepare for eternity?
When we live for today, each day becomes much more important. We are less likely to spend our time going through the motions, doing things which we don't enjoy and which don't bring us lasting happiness. We are more likely to do things we love; to seize the many opportunities we otherwise have no time for because we're too busy chasing generic definitions of success such as wealth, power, fame, and popularity.
When we live in the present, relationships with family and friends take on a greater urgency. We recognize that all of the seasons and stages of life are important, and that there is no time to waste in squabbles, envy, or rivalries. There is only time to enjoy and learn from those important people in our lives. We become more sensitive to their joys and sorrows. We feel pain when they suffer and share their happiness when they succeed. We often remember loved ones who have passed on and are mindful of the fact that loved ones still with us will also one day pass on; perhaps sooner than we expect.
When we live in the present, we seek learning for pleasure, happiness, and the betterment of ourselves and others, rather than for selfish ends like economic or social advantage. The joy of learning becomes its own reward. When we live for today we don't get obsessed with image. We focus on the inner world.
When we live for today, we are less likely to be obsessed with goals and future plans. We prefer one goal: to make the most of each moment, to experience life now. We act rather than talk. Spontaneity becomes second nature. We prefer spending unrushed evenings on the front porch talking with our neighbor, or taking long walks with our spouse, writing letters, reading good books, or dropping in on old friends--in short, simple, soulful pastimes.
When we live for today, we don't dwell on the mistakes we made in the past, or the wrongs which others did to us. We simply forgive and forget. We become infatuated with the present because we discover just how fascinating and endlessly intriguing the present is. We discover there are just too many positive things directly in front of our eyes to enjoy to have to resort to pulling skeletons out of the closet.
In a nutshell, when we learn to live for today, we can't help but develop a whole set of Christlike attributes in the process. These are by-products, if you will, which may creep up on us without our noticing them. Christ taught that in order to find our lives, we had to lose them first. Perhaps, in like manner, the best way to secure an eternity of happiness and joy is to let go of it for now (lose it) and instead focus our energies on the present; that point of time in which we can make the greatest difference.