I’ve been reading about being present in your life. What does that even mean? Then I started making a few observations of my own. Maybe you can relate.

Present – Something we give or receive.
Present – To introduce or bring before.
Present – Here.
Present – Now.

The word present can be complicated, but the application is simple. Look it up, and you’ll find many definitions as a noun, verb, and adjective. In real life, it boils down to giving something or being somewhere, now.

Every day, something is pulling us in a different direction from where we want to go. Or, we blindly and obediently schlep through each day, robot-like, until Friday at 5 PM. Then it’s the weekend routine, same schlep but different.

Every day, something is pulling us in a different direction from where we want to go. Or, we blindly and obediently schlep through each day, robot-like, until Friday at 5 PM. Then it’s the weekend routine, same schlep but different.

No thought to it, just a to-do list to complete. The weird thing is it’s not your list. If we’re not careful, we perform according to what the world, job, parents, spouses, in-laws say we should. Then we lock ourselves into the prison of worldly expectations like education, career, family, lifestyle, and end up with responsibilities we never saw coming.

If you know what I mean, pause now and take a deep breath; exhale slowly. It’s going to be okay.

Christ came so that we might have freedom (Galatians 5:1).

God gives each of His children unique gifts and spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:11), which we should never lay aside. God introduces us to the Holy Spirit and gives us these gifts at the moment of salvation. Call it a welcome to the family present.

According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8

When we operate in our spiritual gifting, there is no schlepping involved. We experience productivity, fulfillment, and joy living the here and now, enjoying life. Not only that, we get to share them (I Peter 4:10–11).

Have you put your spiritual gift on a shelf and then stopped dusting that shelf? Could that be why you can’t seem to be present in your own life? Over time we become distracted by expectations that, in the big picture, don’t really matter.

That’s been more of a struggle for me than I’d like to admit. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. We don’t have to live on the outside looking in on our own lives and wonder what the heck happened.

That’s been more of a struggle for me than I’d like to admit. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the story. We don’t have to live on the outside looking in on our own lives and wonder what the heck happened.

I don’t know about you, but I hate dusting. So, get that gift off the shelf once and for all, and find a way to start using it (I Timothy 4:14).

Yes, it might be uncomfortable in this unusual environment, especially if you’re working from home and the kids are doing school remotely. At the same time, you are Christmas decorating, baking cookies, sending Christmas cards, shopping, and wrapping presents. Overachiever.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. Matthew 5:14-15

These are challenging times for sure, but don’t hide your gifts under the COVID19 basket. That’s an excuse. It’s a good one, but not one that should become the habit of life.

I believe that when we make an effort, God helps with the rest. Won’t you give it a try?

You can also find me over at the Five Minute Fridays and Inspire Me Mondays linkups this week.

More info on Spiritual Gifts

If you don’t know about spiritual gifts, here’s a couple of resources to get you started:

• Read 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4
• A list with definitions of each spiritual gift can be found here:

• Learn bout the three categories of Spiritual Gifts:
  Motivational – 1 Corinthians 12:4 (See Romans 12:3–8.)
  Ministry – 1 Corinthians 12:5 (See Ephesians 4:11–13 and I Corinthians 12:27–31)
  Manifestation – 1 Corinthians 12:6 (See I Corinthians 12:7–11)