"Living in the now" what does this mean to you?

A lot of Christians and non Christians alike talk about "living in the now", and being "present", but they never explain it, it's always coated in a shroud of mystery. What does this mean - Biblically - except for not worrying about the future (or obsess about past)? Is that it? Am I missing something big and mysterious here?

The secular mindset is to eat, drink, party now because in death they cease to exist. Live now for tomorrow, we may die.

For the Christian to live in the now on a Biblical perspective is to ask yourself what is the will of God in my present moment. Is it to be a good example? To share the gospel? To help someone in need? To be involved with your kids? Your spouse? Prayer? Bible study? Etc. Yes tomorrow isn't promised but we are told to focus on today, trust God with the future, and ultimately living for now should be changed to living for eternity.

As it is written, "Be not anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow is anxious for itself; let the day's own problems suffice for itself."

Biblically, I guess it means "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" and "do not worry about tomorrow" like Jesus said.....

Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.


As believers in Christ, we are to consider our ways and number our days.....which is to understand the way I am living on Earth will have consequences - treasures in heaven or no treasures in heaven (Salvation NEVER lost), there is an end and I will see God face to face.

The unbelievers are not considering their ways and ignoring all the signs that point to an end.......such as even attending a funeral of a loved one.

So, "living in the now".........living and focused on what's MOST IMPORTANT today......

Worry nots

As a christian it means for me to do what God wants me to do today as God is already ahead of me and taking care of the future.

The phrase became popular amongst non christians with this book called 'the power of now' by eckhardt tolle. They talk about mindfulness a lot. It was usually something harassed executives and business types read who were stressed out about life cos they had to sort out their five and ten year plans.

well a lot of people dont have that long really, but people have come to expect some kind of instant gratification, especially those that joined 'the rat race'

It means stopping to look at a particularly pretty sunset instead of hurrying home to get back to that video game where you're stuck at level 39 and can't figure out how to get past it. The video game will still be there. The sunset won't.

Basically it means being aware of what is going on around you instead of ignoring it because you have other plans. We always have other plans, but some things in life are too good to pass up just because we have other plans.

Mind you, this does not obviate the making of plans. We need structure in our lives and we need to know where we are going in life. But don't get so caught up in your plans for your life that you miss everything that makes life worth living.

may all of us who understand Lynx' post be aware of His Great Insight, and the way he has expressed it!!!
Lynx,
you are sometimes quite amazing in your perception -
TY,

IMO,It means whatever you are doing,don't think about something you feel you Should be doing but whatever you are doing focus your energy Into That.

But the way I believe It Should be Is the Born Again Christian should no longer focus on the way they used to be but now recognize that they are a New creation and what was once old Is now New.

Saul and Paul were the same person but Saul persecuted Christians.

Paul said,I have wronged No man.

Living in the now to me seems what occurs as we are "hidden in Christ", He remembers our transgressions no more, everything is now and forward. We are not giving thought to what we were, where we were, it is past. As we walk with Him we must keep up and move forward. Curry Blake spoke of Dr. Lester Sumrall once was leaving the church, shaking hands, greeting people, he noticed he did not have his Bible, he asked a member close to him, "where's my bible?", he replied it was at the podium, "go get it" he asked. Dr. Sumrall was never one to think himself more highly than another, that he should be served by others, it was asked why he had the other man go get it, "because I don't back up!" In his mind that would have been 'backing up" , or retracing his steps, he was committed to moving forward in his walk and service to our Lord.
blessings

"The actual reality of precisely ones own personal intentional mindfulness of the present moment, of ones self.
And, then again it could be considered randomly thinking about circumstances and events occurring
here, there and other places, at this time in life that one is experiencing. Each has a choice, of what
'time' feels most appropriate, and each shall have their own 'living in the now', reality of all things at
the moment or many things in general.
I have learned that a spiritual soundness helps with a more orderly and harmonious life."
'Praise God'

To be completely honest, and I have no intention to offend but that seems more like superstition or ocd to me. We are not going backwards in Christ if we go up or down the room.

Would you please be kind and explain your insight a bit more for me in plainest language, I find that kind of description obfuscating that's actually why I opened the thread to really get a grasp what people mean. Sorry!

"To be completely honest, and I have no intention to offend but that seems more like superstition or ocd to me. We are not going backwards in Christ if we go up or down the room. "
That is why we are not to lean on out own understanding as Jesus directed us, but "in all our ways acknowledge him, and He will make our path straight".

Walking around a room and picking your Bible isn't wrong, isn't sin, and doesn't cause anyone to "not go forward" in Christ.
But unbiblical teachings like these DO cause people to go backwards.
Misapplying the Scripture to bully into your understanding ("my understanding = God's") doesn't help your case.
You described a weird behavior that only resembles OCD or SUPERSTITION, and not FAITH.
The man you're talking about had vowed an internal vow of some sort, putting himself into a superstitious bondage that it would harm him spiritually to walk a few steps and pick up his Bible. This isn't of faith nor is it taught anywhere in the Bible.
So no, I am not buying what you're selling, you'll have to go somewhere else, and wherever I see you teach this again, I will repeat what I said here. As someone who overcame OCD, I won't allow bondage to be freely dispensed to other Christians nor put heart emojis to it.

your response is not in keeping with Galatians 5 , "love, joy, peace, patience kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control". The marks of a true believer.

You have my sympathy.
goodbye

"Living in the now" means if you have decided to eat a bowl of ice cream, pay attention to the ice cream. Don't spend the whole time you are eating it worried about getting fat, and don't ignore the flavor while you watch a TV show. Focus on it and consciously enjoy it.


The older we get the more we have seen, and the more we have seen the easier it is to brush by life's delights because we have already seen them. Sometimes it's good to stop and watch a kitten playing for a bit. Yeah I've already seen kittens playing. But it's still neat. Whatever I was looking at on my phone will still be there later.

I didn’t Intend for you to be offended by the emoji I left on your post but I clicked on the sad emoji because I thought the story about Dr.Sumrall was sad.

Look into his life, he reached many for god, take what what was shared to the Lord, we are never to lean on our own understanding. Our relationship with Christ should be such that His thoughts are our thoughts, look into Lester Sumrall's life and how God used him in mighty ways, how he walked in divine authority giving glory to God in all he did. We are never intended to stay at mere salvation, as great as it is.
Miscellaneous used to be pretty much free from the bitter atmosphere found on BDF.
best wishes