Fridays are actually tough days for me because I often lack direction. My natural bent is to sit in front of the television watching movies or spend countless hours on facebook. For the past couple of months Rachel and I have been reading through the Psalms and Proverbs when we get up in the morning and they have been making a real impact on our daily lives. Today reading Proverbs 19 rang even deeper in my heart than it ever has before.
In my struggle on Friday morning to focus on anything that is constructive I have really tried this morning to put my focus on my relationship with Christ by reading over the Proverb again and then going to my devotional book "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers who I now call "Uncle Oswald." The Proverb spoke on many things about being a sluggard and how it causes us more detriment than anything else. "Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry," v.15 This particular verse really echoes how I have spent my last few Fridays this summer. I really struggle not to be lazy. My heart desires to honor God but my actions prove a desire to only please myself.
Another issue that I often struggle with is trying to have control of my life. Instead of surrendering that control over to God. We often try to make our own plans for our life together Rachel and I, then we take our plan to God only to find out He usually has something far different or greater than we could have ever imagined. vs. 21 Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. We can try to make all the plans we want but we must first surrender anything we do over to God first before anything else. No matter what we do God's purpose is going to prevail in our lives. Does that mean we never make any plans? No of course not, but we must remain flexible to God's will in our lives whenever we do. It reminds me of an earlier Proverb that our friend John Newbury shared with me on more than one occasion. Proverbs 16:9 In his a heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. My desire as I plan my course today is to be open to the Lord determining my steps as I go about my day. May you be open to the Lord determining your steps as you plan your course today.
End Note: If you have a copy of Utmost for His Highest read today June 19. It has some really profound thoughts to chew on along with these other verses from Proverbs. Have a great day everyone..
Mark
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Great thoughts, my love! God is truly at work in our hearts and lives! May He receive the glory, honor, and praise! Praying for our eyes to be focused on Him, our ears to be open to His voice, and our hearts to be led by the Holy Spirit's leading! Love you!
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ReplyDeleteIt really helps to get motivated when you have something to look forward to. After struggling with the same thing in my youth, I finally learned from envying Uncle John's accomplishments is that if I set goals for the next day and post them on the frig or set them in clear view, I began to accomplish things. (It's crazy, but if I tried to set goals in the morning for the same day, it just didn't work...don't know why, but I just couldn't accomplish it. You have to find your best time.) Then I began to accomplish more and more as I really got into the swing of it. For example, I would set a goal to take a walk by 7:00 a.m. before breakfast. It is very energizing. Then I made sure after breakfast I had a plan...maybe study for a set period of time, start washing my car by 11:00. Wash screens right after lunch. That sort of thing. It really makes a difference, and the gift you get from doing is the gift of energy to keep on doing. Aunt Shirley
ReplyDeleteI've had to learn that God moves us along at HIS pace, not our pace. When I strive, when I try to be what I think I should be, I fail. When I ask God to make me what He wants me to be, I start to grow a little bit at a time. I guess what I'm trying to say is, "I've been there...in that guilty, 'Why can't I be better' phase. Now I'm learning what it means to rest in Christ, and I hope you can find that same rest too!"
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