Choosing Presence Over Guilt: Trusting God in the Moment

• By candidasullivan
• April 29, 2025
• No Comments

Are you living in the present moment?

Trying to live in another moment other than the one we are in right now can cause us so much pain. When my kids were little, I thought about them while working and felt so guilty for not being with them. When I got off work and could spend time with them, I felt guilty for not cleaning my house. And the cycle continued. Regardless of my actions, I felt guilty for not doing something else.

We cause a lot of our heartache by what we choose to think.

I had a speaking engagement out of town when my kids were little. It was the longest time that I had ever been away from them. I felt guilty as I packed my bags and left them for several days. What would they think of me? What kind of Mama leaves her kids to chase her dreams? There was a constant battle between Mama’s guilt and the desire to chase after my dreams.

In my mind, I couldn’t be both a good mom and an inspirational speaker, too. But when I called home to check on my sweet babies, I discovered they were doing just fine without me. In fact, they were enjoying eating “guy food” and hanging out with their dad.

The choice was mine. I could a) allow the guilt to destroy my peace and the opportunity to share my story with others or b) enjoy the opportunity God had given me. When we focus on the moment we are in, we can make the most of it. Always wishing our lives were different is a recipe for disaster.

Sweet friends, I have wasted so many moments because my mind was in a different place than my body. I try my best to be present in the moment and where I am. If I am writing, then I focus only on writing. I don’t allow my mind to wander to the laundry or the problems at work. If I spend time with my family, I do my best to put my work aside. Whatever that I am doing deserves my complete attention.

Since we can only focus on one thing at a time, I use this knowledge to my advantage. When I focus on the goodness of my Lord, then my heartaches don’t seem as bad. It’s hard to be fearful and grateful at the same time. Therefore, I focus on the present moment and praise the Lord for all its blessings.

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