Thursday thoughts: Live for today

By JILL JOHNSON

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

Wayne and I had a friend who recently passed away, totally unexpectedly. From what we were told, he was working on a church project and had a massive heart attack and died. We were talking about this, and Wayne commented on how short life is. He actually said we are on the downhill of our life, and he wanted to finish well, enjoying every day to its fullest.

As I think about that, I realize that life is short for all of us, no matter our physical age. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so we should not take our days and time for granted. God is gracious enough to give us the gift of time, but it also seems that time is one of the things we waste the most because we don't consider its value.

We can replace our possessions if we lose them. We can earn more money after we spend it. We can change careers if we choose. But time is different. Once our time is spent, it cannot be recovered. We can't go back and do yesterday over again.

I always hear the phrase that time is fleeting. If you look up the definition of fleeting, it says "passing swiftly or vanishing quickly." If we are not careful, our time and days can vanish quickly, and we might not have anything to show for it.

I can think back on so many times when I've said, "I'll do that tomorrow." God will bring someone to my mind, and I'll think, "I can call and check on them tomorrow." I might know someone is hurting, and I can tell myself, "l will send that card tomorrow." I might have a disagreement or be hurt by another person, and I decide, "I can put off that tough conversation until tomorrow." Someone can cross my path, and because I'm in a hurry, I miss the opportunity to make sure they know about Jesus. The list could go on and on.

The question is, what if we don't have tomorrow? James 4:14 says, "Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." Life is unpredictable. Only God knows the number of our days. I'm sure there are times when life is much shorter than we could have ever imagined.

I think our focus can't be on how much time we think we have left, but rather on how we choose to use the time God has given us today. Don't worry about how much time is ahead of us, but be intentional about making sure we are using our time in the best way to honor Him. Are we forgiving others, speaking kindly, loving deeply, sharing generously, and, most importantly, are we reflecting Jesus?

To do these things, we have to take the opportunity each day to spend time with God in prayer and in His Word. Time spent this way is never wasted. God reminds us to love and take care of our family while they are still here. He instructs us to show kindness to strangers. He asks us to be generous and help those in need. He encourages us to tell others we love them every chance we get. He teaches us not to be so busy and caught up in ourselves that we neglect the things that matter the most.

Time is fleeting. It passes quickly. There are no guarantees for tomorrow. Let's not be so caught up in what happened yesterday that we miss what God wants for us today. In the same way, let's not be so worried and concerned about tomorrow that we miss the direction and blessings God has for us today. When our time comes, and our life is over, what will matter is not how many days we lived but how we lived each day God gave us.

Let's allow God to make our days count, our lives meaningful, our love abundant, and our hearts ready for wherever He leads today. Use the time you have each day wisely. Micah 6:8 says, "What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

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Jill Johnson finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and Georgian. Jill is retired from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board and is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.

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Quote: I think our focus can't be on how much time we think we have left, but rather on how we choose to use the time God has given us today.

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Caption: Jill Johnson