Presently Happy

"Let each of us examine his thoughts; he will find them wholly concerned with the past or the future. We almost never think of the present, and if we do think of it, it is only to see what light it throws on our plans for the future. The present is never our end. The past and the present are our means, the future alone is our end. Thus we never actually live, but hope to live, and since we are always planning how to be happy, it is inevitable that we should never be so."

Blaise Pascal, Pensées

Two years ago, my first theology professor suggested we read Pascal. I finally started a read. I am glad I did, but this guy can be harder to understand than C S Lewis, and that is saying something.

But this passage hit me with amazing clarity. Which was nice because after over a dozen pages of huh?, it was nice to have something click finally. This passage immediately brought a verse of Scripture into mind:

So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34 (New American Standard Bible)

Our happiness requires to live within the present, content with the provision of the day as the Lord has given it to us. Our joy comes from the eternal security that is ours in Jesus. I wrote some time ago about the difference between the two on this blog. I do not know if my old buddy Blaise had this Scripture passage in mind, but as I read him I did.

We are often surrounded with unhappy people, we are often that person. When that person is me, it is because I have focused too much on the future, too much on myself and not enough on living in the Lord in the present. He is sufficient, in His sovereign grace, for me each and every day. I would do good to remember that more regularly.



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He is a God of Order

Today being Election Day, I have decided not to discuss politics. Which is not surprising given that you can count my political entries on one hand and have fingers left over to whistle for a taxi.

Sometime today we will elect a new President, and we will hear about it soon enough.

I am just happy that I have a God who is a God of order. The sun rises and sets, and so does the moon. The stars wheel across our night sky. But our God is sovereign and never surprised. Our God is gracious and merciful and never has an off day.

I accept that deeply within my heart and trust in Him. Yet I do seem to spend a lot of time planning and organizing for the future. Am I being unfaithful? I do not think so (tell me if you differ). I believe He is a God of order in how He has purposed the workings of the universe He created, and I think He wants us to order our lives as well.

I think I can plan for the future and ponder contingencies without being worried about the future. It comes down to a heart issue. I can plan for a future as long as I accept it is His to reveal as he will. He wants us not just busy but industrious and in service, ministering with love and empathy. Planning our activities and planning how to utilize the gifts and resources he bestows on us.

But with a heart that accepts that His will be done.

He is a God of order and today will unfold as he deems. Don't kid yourself about that. Time will tell me what he already knows. So I can plan to receive it when He reveals it. So I do not worry about how the results turn out today. This is probably why I do not write about politics more often.