Be Where Your Feet Are

I have been working on mindfulness lately. It’s a process. Mindfulness is difficult because it involves a willingness to be with ourselves as we are. It offers a way of learning to work with ourselves, and not on ourselves, especially if you are healing from perfectionism. I am discovering that this is one of my greatest weaknesses.  

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalm 32:8 (NIV)

I love the picture painted with this verse. I love knowing God wants to teach me; He wants to guide to the best paths to travel on. He won’t just keep an eye on me; He will keep a loving eye on me. He wants good for me, but it begins with me putting my hope and trust in Him. It begins with recognizing the my place in the processes and accepting it.

That is tough for me. Sometimes I think it would be easier to put my hope in myself or in my future. I tend to keep my eyes fixed on things I think I can control. I often find myself wallowing in past mistakes and past definitions of who and what I am. But I miss out on so much of life when I don’t live in the present moment God has given me.

Be where your feet are.

This needs to become my daily motto.

This will take lots of concentrated practice. “Be where your feet are” is a constant reminder, a way to keep saying to myself, “Hey, look around. Don’t be freaking out about the future or worrying about the past. God wants to teach you something. Today matters. This matters. Take a breath.”

Take it one day at a time. Life is made up of days.  The Psalmist tells us to number our days (Psalms 90:12).  We would do well to live our lives one day at a time.  And strive to LIVE each day.  Don’t let yesterday ruin today.  

I should remember the lessons taught by Paul. Paul had many bad things in his past on which he could dwell.  I am sure he remembered his days of persecuting GOD’S people.  Yet he writes to the Philippian church, “…forgetting those things which are behind…”  (Philippians 3:13)  I think Paul would have agreed with the “Be where your feet are” idea. The idea is live today.  I can’t change the past.  We all have regrets.  But Jesus Christ can forgive our mistakes of yesterday.  According to Jeremiah 31:34, GOD remembers them no more. 

On the other hand, James urges us to be careful when making plans for tomorrow.  James 4:13 reads, “Come now, you who say ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.”  I think James would have liked the “Be where your feet are” sentiment as well.

This is the beginning of a new day.  GOD has given me today to use as I will following HIS will.  I can waste it or use it for good.  What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it.  Is it worth the price? When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever, leaving something in its place I have traded for it.  I want it to be gain, not loss – good, not evil – success, not failure in order that I shall not forget the price I paid for it.

Lord, teach me to be where my feet are. Help me to understand the principle of “be still.” It’s easy to be stuck in the past or worried about the future. I is easy to be convinced that things are hopeless. However, I know You call me to this moment, this hour, this day. Thank You for the tender mercies of this day.