“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the present.”

This is a quote I’ve heard several times throughout the past few years and, to be quite honest, I always thought it was a little cheesy. This past weekend, however, I realized just how true this statement is and how often we fail to recognize it.

We live in a fast-paced society and, with technology at our fingertips, we can have access to a multitude of resources that help to maintain the on-the-go lifestyle within seconds. The problem is that this has led many of us to rush through our day without actually enjoying it. So often I hear people, myself included, say, “I shouldn’t have done that” or “tomorrow will be better” and we set our focus everywhere else but the moment we’re living in.

The reality is dwelling on the past or trying to plan for the future is not actually beneficial at all. It’s easy to think about what we could have done or said differently or who we’re going to marry and how many kids we’ll have, but this can leave us feeling empty and burdened with questions as we face the present. We can’t go back in time to fix all our mistakes or painful memories nor can we go forward into the future and change what’s going to happen; all we can do is live in the here and now.

James 4:14 reminds us about this by stating, “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.” The fact of the matter is that our life is like a vapor; a short period of time here on Earth. That means we need to value every moment of every day and recognize that every day contains reasons to be enjoyed with a thankful attitude.

No matter what season of life you are in -- a joyful one, a difficult one, or an uncertain one -- there really is a blessing to be found in every day. It could be as large as getting a new job, or as small as waking up this morning, which actually is a pretty big deal, but I think no matter what if we slow down enough to embrace this we will be more prone to recognize the joy that each day contains.

One day I want to be able to look back on my life and know that I truly made the most of each day by taking time to find pleasure in every moment. I want to know that I didn’t miss out on opportunities because I was stuck living in the past or focusing on the future. I want to be able to look back and see that even in the worst of times I allowed myself to find joy in each day instead of pondering on when things will be better. I want to live each day to the fullest.

I know I have a lot of work to do before these all become true in my life, but I’m going to start now by doing everything I can to revel in today. Will you join me in this?

This week instead of rushing through each day to make it to the next, let’s take time to enjoy each day and live in the present because it really is a gift.