IN THE MARGINS: Living fully in the only day we really have

By Tony Martin
Editor

Mother Teresa had a way of taking big truths and saying them in a single sentence. Her quote, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has yet to come. We have only today. Let us begin,” is one of those lines that sounds simple until you try to live it.

Most of us are either dragging yesterday behind us like a heavy suitcase or staring so hard at tomorrow that we trip over today. We replay old conversations, rethink old decisions, relive old wounds. Or we fast-forward into imagined futures filled with what-ifs, worst-case scenarios, and endless to-do lists. No wonder we’re exhausted.

Scripture actually agrees with Mother Teresa’s insight. God invites us into a different way of living—a right-now, this-very-day way of following Him.

Yesterday Is Gone

“Yesterday is gone.” That can sound harsh if yesterday was full of pain or failure. It can sound sad if yesterday was sweet and we wish we could go back. But spiritually, it’s actually a gift.

Paul wrote in Philippians 3:13–14, “One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on…” He wasn’t saying the past doesn’t matter. He was saying it doesn’t get to drive the car anymore.

Your sins from yesterday? They’ve been nailed to the cross.
Your regrets? They can become teachers, not jailers.
Your victories? They’re reasons to thank God, not reasons to coast.

Lamentations tells us that God’s mercies “are new every morning” (Lamentations 3:22–23). Not just once, when you got saved. Every morning. Every today. That means I don’t have to keep holding yesterday’s script in my hands. I can hand it back to God and say, “You covered that. Show me what You’re writing today.”

Tomorrow Has Yet to Come

“Tomorrow has yet to come.” That sounds obvious, but we forget it. Jesus didn’t. He said, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34).

Jesus wasn’t telling us to be irresponsible or never plan ahead. But He was saying: it’s not your job to live tomorrow’s battles with today’s strength.

James reminds us we don’t even know what tomorrow will bring (James 4:13–15). Our entire life is “a mist.” That’s not meant to depress us; it’s meant to free us. We don’t carry the universe on our shoulders. We don’t even control the next five minutes.

We are invited to plan with wisdom, but live with open hands.

We Have Only Today

“We have only today.” Not in a panicky, “life is short, hurry up and make something of yourself” way. More in a Psalm 118:24 kind of way: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

This day is made by God.
This day is filled with fresh mercy.
This day has assignments, conversations, and quiet moments that matter to Him.

Second Corinthians 6:2 puts it even more strongly: “Now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” The most important work God wants to do in us almost always starts in an ordinary “today.” Not when life calms down. Not when we feel more spiritual. Now.

That doesn’t mean every today feels exciting. A lot of days feel small, repetitive, or unfinished. But they’re still sacred ground. God meets us in dishes and emails and commutes and grocery runs — not just in church services and “big moments.”

Let Us Begin

And then comes the invitation: “Let us begin.” Not “let me think about it a little longer.” Not “let me wait until I feel ready.” Begin.

So how do we actually live this out? Here are a few simple ways to make Mother Teresa’s words — and the Scriptures behind them — a reality in our lives.

1. Start Your Day with a “Today Prayer”

Before you pick up your phone, whisper something like:
“Lord, thank You for this day. Yesterday is in Your hands. Tomorrow is in Your hands. I give You today. Show me the next right step.”
You’re not trying to map out your entire life. You’re just placing this one day in God’s hands.

2. Practice “One Obedience”

Ask, “What is one small act of obedience I can do today?”

• A call you’ve been putting off.
• Five minutes in Scripture.
• A sincere apology.
• An extra measure of patience with someone difficult.

Don’t underestimate the power of one small, faithful step. God often uses tiny obediences to move us into huge transformation over time.

3. Set Boundaries with Yesterday

If you find yourself replaying old regrets, treat them like an unwanted pop-up on your computer. Notice them and then tell yourself the truth:
“Lord, You have forgiven this. Teach me what I need to learn, and help me to leave the rest with You.”
If needed, write down the regret, pray over it, and physically tear up the paper as a simple way of saying, “Yesterday is gone. I’m walking with You today.”

4. Put Tomorrow Back in God’s Hands

When worry about the future hits — money, health, kids, career — turn Matthew 6:34 into a breath prayer:
“Jesus, I trust You with tomorrow. Give me grace for today.”
You can even make a “worry list,” then turn it into a “prayer list.” The circumstances may not change overnight, but your heart posture will.

5. End the Day with Gratitude, Not Guilt

Instead of lying in bed replaying failures, take two minutes to thank God for three specific things from that day. They don’t have to be dramatic — a kind word, a good meal, a small moment of laughter. Gratitude trains your heart to see today as a gift, not a test you failed.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has yet to come. We have only today. Let’s not waste it in regret or fear

God is here. His mercy is new. His Spirit is at work — even in the ordinary, messy middle of your life.

So, friend, let’s begin. Today.