Think about this for a moment. When you hope, dream, or pray, what do you picture?
Most of us form an inner image of what we’re hoping for. Our prayers are rarely abstract; they usually come with a mental picture of how we expect the answer to look. For example, over the past two years where I live, we experienced an unusual drought. Twice, the creek behind my house dried up—something that almost never happens. Lawns turned brown, leaves fell early from the trees, lakes and rivers dropped to dangerously low levels, and fruit and vegetables struggled to grow.
So I prayed for rain. Not casually—I fasted and prayed. And every time I prayed, I pictured a gentle, soaking rain lasting three days. Not a flooding storm, but a steady rain that would sink deep into the soil. That was the picture in my mind as I hoped and prayed.
Whether we realize it or not, when we hope, dream, or pray, we create an inner picture of fulfillment. That picture quietly produces expectation. And unless someone has been deeply disappointed for a long time and stopped hoping altogether, those expectations tend to be lofty.
But here’s the reality: those expectations are rarely met exactly as we imagine—and because of that, disappointment often follows.
Scripture acknowledges this truth plainly:
Proverbs 13:12 (TLB) “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…”
Does that mean we should stop hoping, dreaming, and praying? Absolutely not. But I want to suggest a different approach.
The fulfillment of our hopes and prayers exactly as we imagine them is good—but it is infrequent. Occasionally, something turns out as good as we hoped or even better, but most of the time it doesn’t unfold that way.
So what if we learned to live more in the moment?
What if, instead of constantly reaching for the lofty, we made the most of the moments right in front of us? What if we brought our best—our joy, our presence, our faith—into each moment as it comes?
Let me explain.
One winter evening, just after a snowfall, I looked outside and saw a breathtaking scene. Earlier that day it had rained, filling the creek. Then snow fell heavily. By nightfall, everything was perfectly still. It was stunning. I grabbed my phone and took a few pictures. I’m not a skilled photographer. I didn’t plan the shot or stage the moment. I simply noticed what was there and stepped into the moment.
Those photos ended up being some of the most beautiful pictures I’ve ever taken—and I had almost nothing to do with it. I simply showed up and gave the moment my attention.
Here’s another example. My brother, who lives in Colorado, was unexpectedly in town. He called and asked if we could gather some of our brothers together. Only three of the six could make it. That could have felt disappointing—but instead, we leaned into what was possible. We kept it simple, stayed present, and ended up having one of the best times together we’ve ever had. A memory was created that none of us will forget.
We so often chase the extraordinary while missing the gift of what’s right in front of us.
Even Scripture shows us this principle. Elijah was sent by God to a widow in Zarephath—both of them in desperate situations. God didn’t give them a grand plan. He met them in the moment and did something far beyond expectation. Through obedience and presence, God provided miraculously for both of them. (You can read the story in 1 Kings 17.)
Here’s the point: it’s good to hope, dream, and pray—but you will experience far more “beyond expectation” moments if you learn to live in the moment with God.
At the start of each day, ask God to walk with you through the day. Ask Him to help you bring your best to each moment. Ask Him to use you as a blessing right where you are.
When you do that, you’ll experience more joy, more fulfillment, and create more lasting memories than you ever could through imagined outcomes alone. Why? Because God meets us in the now.
That’s why He revealed Himself as I AM. He is present. He is now.
And that’s why Jesus promised:
Matthew 28:20 (NIV) “…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
God is in the moment—so live there with Him.
