One Day
at a Time
Kevin Langam
One of the
greatest prayers ever taught goes back two thousand years and contains a simple
point that helps me focus on living in the now: "Give us this day our
daily bread."
For 25
years, my dependence on alcohol and drugs took away my ability to enjoy life. I
became so remorseful of the past and so fearful of the future that I was
constantly terrorized by the thought of what another day might bring. Then, in
that single sentence from the Bible, I found a whole new concept for living.
When I live in the day, I'm freed from that life of fear and torment.
I can't
expect to have my needs guaranteed for the next week or month or year. All I
really need is what I need for today. That is why I must strive to live my life
that way—one day at a time.
If faith no
larger than a grain of mustard seed can move an entire mountain,1 then it shouldn't even take a microscopic
speck of faith to keep you doing all the things that you need to do to make it
through a day. So don't worry. God will help you when the hour
comes.—David Brandt Berg
I have come
to understand that today is the only time I have. There is no guarantee of
tomorrow; and yesterday, with all its mistakes and sorrows, is gone forever.
Today, this present moment, is precious.
Even though
I know this now, I can still waste my day by reliving the past or worrying
about the future.
The effect
addiction had on me was that I took myself and my sordid circumstances very
seriously, often to the point that I lost contact with reality. There was no
joy or humor or real satisfaction in what I did. Everything around me became
grim and dark.
Today,
positive signs of spiritual rebirth are showing in my life. Each day I gain
more spiritual energy and zest for living. I find joy in others and myself. I
have rediscovered the pleasure of laughter.
I know that
not every day will be a bed of roses, and I will always have to face pain and
disappointment. Freedom from the weight of past mistakes and fear of the future
will not always shelter me from the pain of the present or the consequences of
past actions. The best thing I can do is pause, look deeply within myself, face
today's problems with determination and honesty, and make the choices the day
demands, knowing God is with me.
The burden
of my yesterdays often becomes too great for me to bear alone. And if I think
of my life in terms of all the things I must do tomorrow, next week, or next
year, the sheer weight of the resulting worry overwhelms me. Whenever I find
myself approaching either of those states of mind, I must ask God to bring me
back to the now, where the burdens are more manageable and where I am able to
either do something about them if I can with His help, or accept them if I
can't.
For most
people, planning is a normal, healthy function; for me it is a two-edged sword.
A good plan can keep my life manageable and help me get things done, but when
planning leads me to hinge my happiness on the way I expect things to turn out,
I am headed for trouble. That's because, based on my past, I am more likely to
expect problems than positive outcomes, tragedy rather than triumph.
The present
can be large and interesting enough to occupy all my attention if I can stay
focused on it. By concentrating on the here and now and opening myself up to
others, God, and the good around me, I can live a happy life, one day at a
time.
* * *
Why
Worry?
"That
is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food
and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body
more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store
food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more
valuable to him than they are?
"And
why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they
grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was
not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for
wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will
certainly care for you.
"So
don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink?
What will we wear?' Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the
Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you
everything you need.
"So
don't worry about tomorrow. Today's trouble is enough for today."2—Jesus
Kevin Langam received a BA (hons) in psychotherapy and is now head therapist at an addiction center in England. He has been in recovery for 19 years.
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1. Matthew 17:20
2. Matthew 6:25-26; 28-34 NLT