Stop! Think for a minute! Ask yourself. . . how are you feeling right now, this very moment? Do you feel happy? Are you sad? Are you angry? Are you anxious? Are you content? Are you fearful? Are you feeling vengeful? Are you lonely? Do you feel peaceful? Do you have no feeling at all?
What is the purpose of this moment and how you feel? Does it matter what you are doing with this moment? The next moment you may feel differently. The next moment has not yet come. It will come, in a moment, and what you do with the next moment is your decision. How you feel the next moment is also your decision.
We all have times when we are very busy and being useful with our moments. There are also times when all the chores are done and moments get wasted. Does it really matter if a few moments are wasted in idleness, as along as the majority of the moments are being used efficiently?
Emotions that we feel at this very second can change quickly as circumstances change. The emotions can linger on to other moments if we harbour them. What do you feel this moment? Is it good? Is it bad? If it is good, you want the next moment and the following one to also have the same emotion. If it is negative, you would do well to not allow the negative emotions creep into the next moment (although many times they do). It is better to give the negative emotions to Jesus and make the next moment better.
These seconds/moments are the building blocks of our characters. You can compare them to a human cell. Each cell is unique and very intricate in its purpose and function. Even though they are microscopic, their proper functioning is vital to the health of the body. These cells are constantly at work—no rest. It is these cells that comprise the human being. Damaged and mutated cells can lead to diseases such as cancer. Although you may seek various medical treatments to remove cancerous cells, if even one microscopic diseased cell is left behind, it will replicate and the disease process will continue. Healthy cells (building blocks) lead to a healthy and often happy life. Each cell has a purpose and must perform its function well, at all times, in order to maintain healthy functioning of the entire body. So with the moments in the Christian life. They can be compared to a cell, with each moment being of value. Each one is a building block of character. Each negative moment, if allowed to continue into the next moment, and the next, can lead to a cancerous, diseased Christian. “It is a positive duty to resist melancholy, discontented thoughts and feelings—as much a duty as it is to pray.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 251
I heard one Minister in the church mention on numerous occasions about the value of a moment. This is all that matters now. Not the next moment, or the past moment. This moment is all that you have. What you make of it, will build your character. You have charge and control of only this one moment—not the future or the past. You can choose to be happy with this moment, or you can choose any of the negative emotions. The choice is yours. Only this moment is yours to do with as you feel best. Hopefully it is a moment that you will not be ashamed to have replayed to you in the heavenly courts.
It is the cells in the body that comprise to make tissues, and tissues comprise organs and organs comprise the entire human body. Likewise, moments are important because they add up to minutes, which add up to hours, which add up to days, which add up to weeks, which add up to months, which add up to years, which add up to your lifetime. Your lifetime and character is built on what you do each single moment (cell), and this will determine your eligibility to enter the heavenly Canaan. “There are really no nonessentials in the Christian’s life. Our character building will be full of peril while we underrate the importance of the little things.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 356. The little moments are vital. Just like tiny diseased cells can multiply and lead to serious illness, so diseased moments can multiply to cause a diseased Christian.
“We have a great work to do. Let us not pass in idleness the precious hours that God has given us in which to perfect characters for heaven. We must not be inactive or slothful in this work, for we have not a moment to spend without a purpose or object.” –Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, p. 540. What did it say? We have not a moment to spend without purpose or object. Let that thought sink into your mind for a few minutes.
To make sure every moment has purpose, we must carefully embrace each of them. Everything we do and every person we come in contact with deserves our full attention, each moment. Does that mean we are to be in constant activity? Can we not sit down and rest? Yes, we can rest. However, even when resting we should savour the moment and make the moments purposeful. “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10. How peaceful it is to rest in a lovely scene in nature and just contemplate the love of God and recount the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. While driving in the car or riding in a bus, while waiting for appointments, all these moments spent should be purposeful. We can have a religious book with us, or we can listen to Bible CD’s, or religious music, or simply commune with Jesus. No moment should be lost or wasted.
Imagine if one (or a small group) of the cells in your body took a rest. Suppose your red blood cells got tired of swimming through the blood vessels and decided to take rest for a few hours. Or perhaps the white blood cells decided to relax during a crisis when an injury occurred. Or maybe they did some non-purposeful activities on occasion during quiet times, like when you are sleeping. The healthy cells do not normally decide to suddenly start swimming against the current, or float into areas they should not be. However, when the cells do act out of their normal function they were created for, it leads to disease. The cells must constantly maintain correct and healthy activity. Not one moment is spent at rest or without healthy purpose for them. So also, in the Christian life. Not a moment is to be spent without a purpose, and each moment in the life of a Christian should have a purpose of doing the will of God.
Moments are what you will be judged upon. You will not be judged on the large missionary endeavours you have done so much as how you spent your little moments when there was a lull in your activities. “Never underrate the importance of little things. Little things supply the actual discipline of life. It is by them that the soul is trained that it may grow into the likeness of Christ, or bear the likeness of evil. God help us to cultivate habits of thought, word, look, and action that will testify to all about us that we have been with Jesus and learned of Him!” –Child Guidance, p. 129–130
Some people are futurists. They have difficulty being happy and managing well the moments because they are always living in anxiety about tomorrow. They worry what the future holds, and the current moments are filled with fear and worry. “Let us not make ourselves miserable over tomorrow’s burdens. Bravely and cheerfully carry the burdens of today. Today’s trust and faith we must have. But we are not asked to live more than a day at a time. He who gives strength for today will give strength for tomorrow.” –The Review and Herald, June 20, 1907
What did the Apostle Paul counsel us to do? “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6–7. The word “careful”, here is literally “anxious.” We are told to be anxious for nothing!!! Nothing!! Why? Because we can bring all our requests and burdens to Jesus. This way each moment will be filled with a peaceful trust in Jesus.
Some other futurists never seem to be content or fully happy and peaceful because they are thinking that at some future time, when everything they have worked for and planned for, have come to fruition. When they have achieved all the goals they set out for in life, then they will be blissfully happy. But today, they are anxiously striving for that utopia. They are not able to be happy because this moment they are always thinking of only the next moment. They work for tomorrow—not for the current moment. Then some futurists have only short-term goals. They trudge through the work week, looking forward to the happy moments they expect they will experience on the weekend, a few days free from work. Or maybe a future vacation—a week of bliss. The moments during the week drag on in sadness and weariness, while the moments on the weekend fly by on the wings of bliss—free from care or worries. Imagine if all cells worked in fits and starts. How would the body function? And how would your life be if you only served the Lord in fits and starts? You would not progress very well.
A famous quote in English states that, “Life is a journey, not a destination.” Meaning, “We are not meant to rush through life. . . it’s about savouring every moment of each day. It’s about how we learn the lessons along the way.” http://suzanne-mcrae.com/2012/04/27/life-is-a-journey/#.XJLbDihKjIU
The challenge we have as Christians is to be happy and content all along the journey on the straight and narrow pathway. Life is not about weekends and vacations. Life is how you can manage each moment, at all times and all circumstances, in peaceful, happy, contentment. The cells keep
doing their duty, through thick or thin. There are some Christians who mournfully travel the narrow way, waiting for the heavenly Kingdom where they will be blissfully happy. They often do not last long. They give up the journey. “If we are heaven-bound, how can we go as a band of mourners, groaning and complaining all along the way to our Father’s house? Those professed Christians who are constantly complaining, and who seem to think cheerfulness and happiness a sin, have not genuine religion.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 251
Then there are people who are always living in regret for past mistakes and wasted moments. They keep pining away, living in sorrow—worried that they are too sinful for God to love. “If you are conscious of your sins, do not devote all your powers to mourning over them, but look and live. Jesus is our only Saviour; and although millions who need to be healed will reject His offered mercy, not one who trusts in His merits will be left to perish. While we realize our helpless condition without Christ, we must not be discouraged; we must rely upon a crucified and risen Saviour. Poor, sin-sick, discouraged soul, look and live. Jesus has pledged His word; He will save all who come unto Him.” –Faith and Works, p. 37
Yes, we may have wasted many moments in the past, and we can never bring them back or relive them. They are gone into history—faithfully recorded by our recording angel. When we live in the past and cannot get over our sinful condition, or cannot not let go of painful experiences, perceived wrongs, or difficult times, we condemn ourselves to experience the same in the present moments and the future ones. We cannot change the past. We can, however, come to terms with it, know that it is over, and move on. “Time squandered can never be recovered. We cannot call back even one moment. The only way in which we can redeem our time is by making the most of that which remains, by being co-workers with God in His great plan of redemption.” –Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 342
The cells do their duty, now and always. They forget the past, and do not fear the future. They dutifully perform their task, moment by moment. We also need to learn to live in the moment, letting go of the past and not worrying about the future. When we are positive and optimistic in the present moment, we open the possibility of a positive and promising future. All that matters is this moment. “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13–14
“Today you are not to have the faith of tomorrow. You have only faith for today; tomorrow you will find faith when that comes; so don’t worry about tomorrow. It is today, Am I the Lord’s? Today have I the witness of His Spirit? Today does my name come upon the lips of the great Advocate of heaven? Today am I walking in harmony with Jesus Christ and heavenly angels? The heavenly intelligences are at work to bring the light of the knowledge of the truth as it shineth in the face of Jesus Christ, to humanity.” –Sermons and Talks, vol. 1, p. 190. Reread the above statement, substituting “today” with “this moment”.
“When we concentrate our attention on the present we focus on the task at hand. We give our full attention to what we are doing and we let go of outcomes. Seizing each moment in life allows us to prolong its value and make it more meaningful. Rather than seeking quantity of time, when we live in the moment we enjoy and savor every minute.” https://www.essentiallifeskills.net/live-in-the-moment.html. When we appreciate each moment and garner the lessons from it, we will live consciously, purposefully and responsibly.
While it is a good thing to live for the moment and make the best of each moment, we are not to neglect to plan and prepare for the future (should time be granted to us). It is not sin to do so. The true Christian is able to live happily and productively for the moment and yet plan for the future. “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.” Proverbs 6:6–8. Ants are rarely seen resting. Their actions are all purposeful—for the good of the colony. And Solomon continues by saying, “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” Proverbs 6:10–11. Purposeful moments will be productive in preparation for the future.
The decision of how you feel at this particular moment is not governed by chance. It is not governed by feelings or circumstances. It is governed by your choice. When things go wrong or people disappoint you, you can choose to be angry and upset. Or, you can choose to rest your case with your heavenly Father as did Jesus. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.” 1 Peter 2:21–23. You can come off smiling from a negative experience this moment, by choice, if you trust in God, that He is in control of all.
This past Sabbath, the elder in our church told us of an acquaintance of his. He is a very pleasant man, who sadly has developed cancer. He always seemed to have a cheerful attitude and in his own words, he said, “You are as happy as you want to be.”
Job, also, could praise the Lord the moment when he lost all his children and material property. “The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21
Good feelings follow the choices we make each moment. Is it normal and human to have only good feelings every moment? Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit. . . they that mourn.” Matthew 5:3, 4. Yet James, wrote, “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” James 1:2. We can have calm peaceful trust in God, though poor in spirit, or mourning over past sins and regrets. However, we do not need to be morose or depressed when life is difficult.
We do experience negative emotions during some moments since we are human, but we should not allow the diseased cells (moments) to control our lives. We need a strong immune system to fight the disease and our immune system is our connection with Jesus. He is our great example; He never changed His course of life when He had Gethsemane looming in front of Him, regardless of how He was feeling about it. Every moment throughout His entire life was filled with purpose. Even on the cross He was mindful of how He used His moments. The dying thief found salvation in the dying moments of the Saviour.
If you have moments of fear, the apostle John wrote: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. Perfect love casteth out fear.” 1 John 4:18
If there is a moment when you feel vengeful, stop and consider the words of the Apostle Paul, “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:19
And have you ever had a moment when you felt angry? “Let us ever keep before us the perfect Pattern. It is a sin to speak impatiently and fretfully or to feel angry—even though we do not speak.” –Child Guidance, p. 95
We all will experience loneliness, sorrow, grief, anxiety, fear, anger at times. As we learn to trust in Jesus, these negative emotions will not be harboured for more than a moment. As soon as the temptation comes from Satan (with these emotions), the true Christian will turn to Jesus and give them over to Him. We will let our immune system fight the diseased cells. You may not feel immediate happiness when going through difficulties, like the loss of a loved one; however, Jesus promises that He will comfort you and help turn your negative emotions to positive ones, this very moment if you ask Him. He will not wait an hour, a day, a week or a month. He can give you peace right now. Just believe and trust. Sing praises to the Lord after you pray. He has heard and answered. “When you receive help and comfort, sing to the praise of God. Talk with God. Thus you will become a friend of God. You will rely on Him. You will obtain a faith that will trust whether you feel like trusting or not. Remember that feeling is not an evidence that you are a Christian. Implicit faith in God shows that you are His child. Trust in God. He will never disappoint you. He says, ‘I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also’ (John 14:18, 19). We do not see Christ in person. It is by faith that we behold Him. Our faith grasps His promises. Thus it was that Enoch walked with God.” –Mind, Character and Personality, vol. 2, p. 538 (emphasis mine). He is with us, each moment.
Each moment, “Let us educate our hearts and lips to speak the praise of God for His matchless love. Let us educate our souls to be hopeful and to abide in the light shining from the cross of Calvary. Never should we forget that we are children of the heavenly King, sons and daughters of the Lord of hosts. It is our privilege to maintain a calm repose in God.” –The Ministry of Healing, p. 253
“One of the most earnest prayers recorded in the Word of God is that of David when he plead, ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God.’ God’s response to such a prayer is, A new heart will I give you. This is a work that no finite man can do. Men and women are to begin at the beginning, seeking God most earnestly for a true Christian experience. They are to feel the creative power of the Holy Spirit.” –The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1164–1165 (emphasis mine)
This is the feeling we want to have each moment—the feeling of the creative power of the Holy Spirit. The consciousness of His presence and His ability to keep us from sin and from evil each and every moment.
Each cell works purposefully its entire life and when its energy is spent with age, it dies. So also with the true Christian, they will work purposefully their entire lives until the Lord lays them to rest.
May we feel His presence every moment, and be like the cell—making every moment purposeful, destroying any unhealthy cells (emotions) that may cause spiritual disease. May the peace of Christ be with you all. Amen.
Wendy Eaton