andi oakes

Why are we so afraid of being completely in the Now? What is it aboutour lives that make us so dissatisfied with who we are and what we do?

Perhaps it’s a problem that is in essence very particular to those ofus who live in the West, with our very modern outlook on life; but itdoes appear as though most people in our culture are intensely unhappywith their lives and so are constantly straining to acquire more or bebetter than they perceive they are. Now, there is nothing wrong withwanting to improve things and be a better person – that’s seems a verynoble aspiration indeed – the problems start, I think, when we put allthe emphasis outside of ourselves and we start falling for thedeception that our answer lies somewhere “out there” just beyond ourreach. If we could only stretch a little farther or press a littleharder then perhaps we could grasp what is eluding us, or force openthe door that stands between us and what we think we need.

I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately. And the conclusion Iam coming to is simply this: the answer for my life is not outside ofme, just beyond the horizon somewhere – it is actually already withinme. The answer to a dissatisfied and constantly restless spirit is tosimply become content.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to haveplenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and everysituation…” the Apostle Paul (Phil 4 v 12)

So how does one become more content?

Well, I think the answer is contained in this little quote from Paul –we have to learn it. Paul had to learn to become content and we have todo the same. One of the consequences of the fall of mankind is ournatural tendency to focus on all things negative. Negativity is ourdefault setting. And it is this negativity that continually tells usthat we “don’t have enough”, or we “don’t look good enough”, or we “arenot clever enough”. We then convince ourselves that if we could onlyget more and improve ourselves then we would be happy.

Unfortunately however, we cannot buy contentment at Walmart or Tesco. We must learn it.

So how do we learn to be content?

We have to remind ourselves to be fully in the NOW. We have to stoplooking to tomorrow for the answer and begin living fully “today”.Jesus referred to Himself as the “I AM”. “I AM” is a powerful statementand is how God refers to Himself. God is fully in the NOW. He is notlooking to improve Himself or straining to achieve personal goals – Heis the ultimate expression of contentment, peace and sufficiency. Godis never distracted by what may be around the corner…He is “I AM”.

God is not even influenced by our failures and imperfections when beingwith us…He is “I AM” and as such He does not “react” to us the wayothers do. He doesn’t recoil with disgust at our humanness, but remainsthe perfect expression of love – for He is love. Jesus also is neverpulled away from us because of His own problems and worries…He is “IAM”. And yet how often are we unable to fully concentrate on thepresent because we are worried about the future or burdened by thepast? How many times have we failed to give someone our undividedattention because our minds are on our own agenda?

Jesus came to live in us by faith, and so to bring us the power of NOW…the power of the “I AM”.

The power of NOW is to know the “I AM” in our lives. To believe that wealready have all we need because the “I AM” has come and will livethrough us by faith as we allow Him.

Paul concluded his statement by saying this:

“I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Phil 4 v 13

To believe in Jesus, is to believe in the I AM.

To rest in Jesus, is to rest in the I AM.

To trust in Jesus, is to trust the I AM.

With the I AM in your life…you already have everything you need,because it’s all to be found in Him, and therefore in you as youbelieve in Him.