N is for the Next Moment ~ by Michelle Strutzenberger

The instantaneous death of my twin sister in a car accident years ago seared my mind with an awareness of how quickly life can be over.

In my days of fresh grief, this awareness led to me make unhealthy choices as I struggled to learn how to live without the one person I’d spent mostly every waking moment with since we were born.

Over the years, I have come to a place where my alertness to life’s brevity ignites a flaming desire in me to do whatever I can to make the most of my remaining time on this earth.

Redeeming the Time

I remind myself often of the verses Ephesians 5:15-16: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (NKJV).”

Other translations of the Bible present the phrase “redeeming the time” as “making the most of every opportunity” (NIV, NLT) or “making the best use of time” (ESV). These phrases can help with understanding, but redeeming has a unique nuance that I love.

To redeem means to “buy back,” to “get back,” to “free from what distresses or harms.”

How can I live in such a way as to free the time I have left on this earth from what distresses or harms? How can I do this for myself? And how can I do it for others?

Freeing the Next Moment from Distress

Now, as great of a question as this is, it can be rather overwhelming, especially if one is in a state of emotional anguish, whether from grief or some other trouble.

It has helped me to bring the question back to just focusing on the next moment. How can I free my next moment from what distresses or harms? Is there someone I need to text and apologize to? Do I need to stop by and say hello to a neighbour? To whom might I write a letter or email of comfort or encouragement?

Just a Few Written Words

These small actions may also include creative writing. A Lectio 365 devotional shared the story of a verse in a hymn written by an African teacher Enoch Sontonga, who died suddenly at the age of 32. This verse, the first lines of which are, “God bless Africa; May her strength rise high up,” went on to be included in anthems of several countries across the African continent, at least for a time, and today it is embedded in South Africa’s national anthem. “Do I underestimate what God might create out of the ordinary things I do?” the Lectio writer, Carla Harding, reflects.

Asking for Help

But even when reining it back to the next small moment, we may still feel a sense of overwhelm about how to make the most of our time. Even if we’re talking about small actions and choices, we might be stressed about where exactly to focus our energy. There are so many needs and options! Over time and experience, I have learned that the very best way to go about handling this question is to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance. Today, I constantly seek His help in knowing who to reach out to, where to give, how to encourage, what to write, again, how to redeem my time – today, now, in the next moment.

I have found so much more peace and so much less stress when I do both of these things – focus on just the next moment and ask the Holy Spirit to guide me as I take another small step towards eternity.

Michelle and her family enjoy hiking mountains and trails together. She is currently sharing a series called, What Growing Up in a Mennonite Family of 10 Taught Me About Survival. To read the series, visit this link.