There are days I wake up thinking about all the things I have to do — and how I probably won’t get them done.
Of course, those are the days where I fell asleep the night before thinking about all the things I had to do when I woke up in the morning … and all the things I left undone that day …
It’s a wretched, wretched cycle, isn’t it?
And sometimes I get halfway through those days before I realize I’ve left God entirely out of the equation. Sometimes I may have given him a passing nod — a “Be with you in a moment, God” kind of acknowledgement.
As if all that other stuff is more important than God.
As if what I have to do is more important than what he might have to say about the next 24 hours, about me, about the other people in my life.
How presumptious.
How foolish.
Why do I rush past the God who is able … and wonder why I’m so exhausted at the end of the day?
Why do I forget that he can accomplish what I can’t … he can keep me in the center of his will when I feel off-kilter … he’s never bewildered. He has a plan — and I’m invited to be part of it.
I just have to accept the invitation — day by day by day.
In Your Words: What do you need God to do in your life today? Accomplish? Provide? Help? Save? Keep? Subdue?
Two fun announcements:
- Michelle Delp and Dana McNeely won the last two Advanced Reader Copies (ARCs) of Catch a Falling Star!
- You can read the first chapter of my debut novel, Wish You Were Here. The chapter link is available on the front page of my website (left-hand side, beneath the endorsements) or you can click here.
Comments 22
Absolutely wonderful post, like clear water to a thirsty land. And looking forward to reading your first chapter! Thanks & blessings.
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🙂
Ack, so often I do the exact same thing: go about my day without first asking God what He thinks. I’m trying to spend my first 30 minutes of the morning with Him now, and praying that makes a huge difference in my attitude and my plans for the day.
Author
Absolutely agree, Lindsay.
🙂
Oh Beth, I really needed this today. I went to sleep last night anxious, woke up in the middle of the night anxious, woke up this morning anxious…not huge stuff, even, but enough to interrupt a night’s sleep, I guess. 🙂 But then…that quote. God can subdue my concerns and provide exactly what I need, right when I need it. Trusting that as I move forward.
As always, thank you for the wise, wise words, Beth!
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May God be all you need today, Melissa.
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Beth, how did you know I needed this reminder today? My list of “hope to do’s” keeping pinging in my mind. I used to be so good about committing each day to God in prayer first thing in the morning. Methinks it’s time to get back to that. Thank you for your post today. I need God to stretch my time today. And I need to be a good steward of the time I have. Working on that.
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Praying for you, Jeanne.
Boy did I need to hear this today! Even when I try to go rushing by, God is there to flag me down. Thanks for being His instrument!
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Edie,
It sounds like today’s post was just right for a lot of people — and I thought it was only me.
Yes, this was for me. I’ve read it over-and-over. Yes, He had a plan and I want more than anything to be in the center of that plan. Thank you for reminding me of that. And thank you for reminding me that He is able to do it, even when I think I can’t.
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I am thankful the post met you where you are today, Angie.
Your vulnerability is one of your most wonderful qualities, Beth. From God today for me? Peace like a river. When I allow Him to pour over me His peace, the rest is manageable.
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May he be Jehovah-Shalom to you today, Donna.
I think we’re all just soooo BUSY… I know I do the same thing most days. God becomes an afterthought, like a whoops I forgot to turn on the dishwasher or take out the trash kind of afterthought. Sad isn’t it? I think that’s why we constantly need reminders like the one you’ve given us today. Our life with Jesus is a relationship, and a relationship means you need to work at it. It’s a conscious decision to remain in communion with Him. One I admit I’m not terribly good at these days, but I am so grateful for friends like you who provide gentle nudges. Praying you have a great day with Him today, Beth.
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Thank you, Cathy, for the encouragement and the prayer.
This is so well timed for me, Beth, because of a number of health issues in my family right now. We’re juggling, and it’s great to have this reminder that it will all be accomplished — that everything is — in His perfect timing.
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Praying for you, Kathy.
Grow my brain, subdue my SELF, reinforce my desire to seek after Him and remind me that I am but His servant, not His secretary, making sure He keeps the appointments I’ve set up for Him.
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Love the switch from secretary to servant, Jennifer.
LOVE this, Beth! So true! Thanks for sharing. I’ve found it’s so easy to fall into that pattern where we outline our day, inevitably fail to accomplish all we set out to, and then feel discouraged, whereas when we go to God, He sustains us and directs our focus.
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Thanks for joining the conversation, Ashley!