Everyone has days when you screw up. Sometimes you do it big and other times no one will notice but yourself. Today was one of those days when only a couple people will notice that I accomplished only a few of the things on my “to-do” list. Luckily, they love me anyway.
After yesterday’s blog about trying to do my best all the time to the glory of God, this is pretty condemning, isn’t it? It isn’t like my “to-do” list was too far-reaching. It was actually a pretty conquerable list…well mostly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of it done. So I’m left to wonder why? Why didn’t I get to those tasks I deemed important? Happily, today is not the way my days usually progress.
I look back on today and I think I know some of the reasons for my less than productive day. First off, I didn’t start the day by putting God first in my thoughts. I didn’t ask God to set me on a path that He designed; I thought I could plan it myself. I tend to find this a major fault of mine and it has been made very clear to me what happens when I skip this important step to the day: lack of focus, primarily.
Secondly, I didn’t ask God for help to get me back on track. I was too busy doing other stuff to even realize I was off track. I did start a number of the tasks on my list, but only finished a few. Bouncing around like a rubber ball, I forgot I had set out a plan for the day. The reason I probably couldn’t set upon a path for a successful day was because it wasn’t God’s plan for me today, but my own.
Fortunately, I did recognize, though a bit late, that I have dropped the ball on another day. There are still a few hours left in today and I could buckle down and attack that list. However, I think that the more productive course would be for me to take a few moments, confess my pridefulness to God and ask forgiveness for stepping off into another day thinking I was going to conquer it on my own.
I truly do believe that God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to guide us in our daily journeys. If we let our self-confidence, pride or our laziness usurp our thoughts, however, we will not hear that quiet voice of the Spirit guiding us to the path we should travel each day. We will wander further afield from the path God has planned for us. We will lose our focus and wander aimlessly, like the Israelites in the desert. Like following the wrong to-do list.
Fortunately, God forgives me daily because of Jesus. Just by taking a moment to pray and listen for the Holy Spirit to provide direction for my life, I can turn around and find my way back to the path I should be following. There I will find the focus that God wants for me. My to-do list may look different, but I should be able to conquer it more easily.
I just need to end each day the way I should have started this one…with God at the forefront of my thoughts.
After yesterday’s blog about trying to do my best all the time to the glory of God, this is pretty condemning, isn’t it? It isn’t like my “to-do” list was too far-reaching. It was actually a pretty conquerable list…well mostly. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of it done. So I’m left to wonder why? Why didn’t I get to those tasks I deemed important? Happily, today is not the way my days usually progress.
I look back on today and I think I know some of the reasons for my less than productive day. First off, I didn’t start the day by putting God first in my thoughts. I didn’t ask God to set me on a path that He designed; I thought I could plan it myself. I tend to find this a major fault of mine and it has been made very clear to me what happens when I skip this important step to the day: lack of focus, primarily.
Secondly, I didn’t ask God for help to get me back on track. I was too busy doing other stuff to even realize I was off track. I did start a number of the tasks on my list, but only finished a few. Bouncing around like a rubber ball, I forgot I had set out a plan for the day. The reason I probably couldn’t set upon a path for a successful day was because it wasn’t God’s plan for me today, but my own.
Fortunately, I did recognize, though a bit late, that I have dropped the ball on another day. There are still a few hours left in today and I could buckle down and attack that list. However, I think that the more productive course would be for me to take a few moments, confess my pridefulness to God and ask forgiveness for stepping off into another day thinking I was going to conquer it on my own.
I truly do believe that God has given us the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and to guide us in our daily journeys. If we let our self-confidence, pride or our laziness usurp our thoughts, however, we will not hear that quiet voice of the Spirit guiding us to the path we should travel each day. We will wander further afield from the path God has planned for us. We will lose our focus and wander aimlessly, like the Israelites in the desert. Like following the wrong to-do list.
Fortunately, God forgives me daily because of Jesus. Just by taking a moment to pray and listen for the Holy Spirit to provide direction for my life, I can turn around and find my way back to the path I should be following. There I will find the focus that God wants for me. My to-do list may look different, but I should be able to conquer it more easily.
I just need to end each day the way I should have started this one…with God at the forefront of my thoughts.
what a great perspective on how God works in our lives. I often do feel better when I don't think that it's "all about me!" - and you put into words why - thanks!
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