This afternoon, I decided to take the kids to work and school myself, rather than have them go alone. I had no idea that that decision would give me the time alone with the Lord that I needed so much today. This is beginning to happen a lot lately. I told the Lord that I needed to spend more time with him..but I was feeling rather hopeless about finding that time. If it relied on my own consistency it was unlikely that I would keep up with the 30/30 challenge.
I guess it didn’t rely on me as much as I thought, since the Lord, again, found a way to get me alone with him. Dropping the kids off, I was left with two hours to kill..and decided to get lunch and put on my makeup before going to Starbucks. While I sat eating, I decided to read my devotional..Keeping a Quiet Heart. I read several chapters before I came across the one about the uselessness of worry.
Matthew 6:27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
Elisabeth was saying that worrying about anything is not only unscriptural…but useless. We can’t DO anything about the past except to make restitution.. We can’t undo the past—like the fact that I’m overweight, caused pain in a relationship with a child, or didn’t handle my dad’s money affairs as carefully as I felt I should have. We can’t do anything about possible future problems either…like a child going astray, a child getting hurt or killed. In other words, I shouldn’t get all grieved and in knots over ‘future’ crisis that have not even occurred yet or past events that are already said and done. All I have any control over at all is today..now…
What I had forgotten, until the Lord reminded me of it , is that the past and the future are both HIS province..not mine. I can’t turn back the clock..nor can I stop the problems that may occur in the future. Things have gone wrong and will go wrong..bad will happen..just as good things will. But the future is beyond my control. If I grieve over future possible bad events..all I’ve done is grieve twice…once now when the bad thing hasn’t happened and again when it does..if it does. What a waste!
Worrying keeps me from doing anything to repair the past or prevent future problems by freezing me in my tracks. It almost becomes a form of self-pity. If I’m so busy mentally wallowing in my failures and my fear of future failures..what I’m really doing is making the whole situation worse by my own inaction. Worry and fear stop us cold in our tracks.
It is God’s job to worry about both the past and the future. All he asks of me is to leave those two areas in his hands and simply trust Him..that he is handling those things… I’ve seen enough miracles in my own life and the life of my kids to know he is CAPABLE. The hall of fame is lined with miraculous ways in which God has provided for our family and it should be more than enough. But Faith can carry all the rest.
Instead, like a child, I must simply pray, trust, and obey. I can’t undo past wrongs..and I can’t guarantee I will do the right things tomorrow…but I can OBEY TODAY…right now. Today…I can eat healthy foods. Today.. I can stop eating when I’m full..and not eat that sweet or fatty food. Today…I can exercise or go for a walk. Today, I can choose NOT to react to my child’s ‘supposed’ bad attitude…and look beyond..and attempt to understand the underlying causes of the bad attitude rather than throw a guilt trip on them for being upset and saying so. Today I can be loving and gracious to my kids…and respectful and affectionate to my husband. Today….I can spend time with the Lord.
Today, I can pray about the things outside of my control and ask the Lord to intervene. Prayerless living is a ridiculous proof of self-reliance and doomed to failure.
Yes, I need to acknowledge that I’ve failed…I’m overweight, I’ve hurt my children..and husband…I’ve spent too much money…I haven’t been diligent enough with my Dad’s affairs…I’ve procrastinated too many times and my projects are piled up..and I’m behind. I can make restitution where I’m able..but only TODAY can I do anything to repair past mistakes or make tomorrow better.
If I will do what I know is right TODAY…then the future will take care of itself. If I sit and worry or wallow in self-pity…I only dig the pit a little deeper…entrench the bad habits further…and I don’t get to live in the joy and peace of God’s love, his meticulous care, and his grace covering all my sins.
Worry is easy and natural and requires no effort on my part. Obedience is hard work..but it is not too hard….I can do this. If I get so focused on my fear of future or growing problems, I will not be free to focus on the solutions to my present difficulties.
"This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. Deuteronomy 30:11
Thank you Lord for showing me what you would have of me…today. Help me to obey… in all these things. Help me to pray for those things outside of my control..because prayer does change things.
1 comments:
I really need to hear this.
Post a Comment