I struggle daily with a thought process that becomes jumbled and confused as the activities of the day begin to unfold. Even if I begin my day as I have planned in the #wordbeforeworld mode (read about the one New Year's resolution I can stand behind here), ideas and thoughts and plans and exhaustion seem to come between the conversation that should be constantly going on with my Creator. As women who are seeking to be more like Christ, I believe (if you are anything like me) that the constant struggle in our thought process to regain control of our life-plan is hurting us more than what we are actually DOING!
We DO great things. We take our kids to school, clean the house, make sure the family is fed, take our worn-out clothes to the salvation army, go to church on Sunday, make sure the pets are fed, tithe 10%, cook dinner, and, man, have we mastered Random Acts of Kindness!
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34
Where does your mind wander while you are moving through your day?
Yesterday I was running errands, and although the traffic was barely moving, my mind was racing. I was planning my week like a boss. How am I going to fit all of this in? Eliana needs to be at two different places precisely at 6:30 tonight. The bills need to be mailed. I need to run in Walmart because Eliana despises having to use almond milk in her cereal. She also needs some new basketball shorts before practice so she doesn't look like she's playing in the 80's when the style actually WAS to have the shortest shorts possible (btw - she doesn't WANT to wear short shorts, but she does have a mom that can't keep up with her growth spurts). I need to get that blog post written. I need to go ahead and take back a little control of all of the things to make sure everything works out like I want it to - because I don't trust You with it.
Those last words were painful but true. When I allow all the planning and scheduling of all the good things to interrupt my conversation with my Father, I am telling Him that I don't trust Him to work it out. And then...
"Just you and Me - Me and you. You already have everything you need."
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1
Every. Time. There was no scolding - just love and "Let's try again". It was The Voice that lights a fire of hope in my soul and melts away all daily concerns in an instant. It restores my purpose. It restores my peace. It restores my joy.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11
This is where I re-establish The Relationship.
To put any uncertainty in your mind to rest regarding my "Random Acts of Kindness" comment earlier, we should strive to do as many kind and loving acts throughout our day as we possibly can! But the truth remains that we can do every act of kindness that there is but if we don't constantly nurture our relationship with our Creator we will not be fulfilling the reason we were created - to be free to worship Him and keep our minds on eternity.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11