Usually, when I think on this passage I think about it in terms of the "one thing" being communion with the Lord as more important than the serving we also do for him. And it does mean that. But this morning, as I thought about the idea of "one thing" in terms of my personality, I saw something new.
That's why I love God's word so much. It truly is living and active and it address every individual need of every individual person and it is revealed in many ways just as a diamond is multi-faceted as it is viewed from various angles.
I am the kind of person that looks at a project and knowing that there are many tasks needed to complete that project, I am overwhelmed before I begin. I see this big mountain in front of me and it seems like too much. I'm afraid I will not know everything that needs to be done, or the right order to do things, or that I will overlook something important. That's why I'm such a list maker. But even when I make lists, they seem to grow so large I'm still overwhelmed even though I've broken down the pieces. The alternative is hold it all in my head? Oh, I don't think so!
As I sat this morning, thinking about the things on my plate that are more than I can accomplish, I asked His help. This is what he showed me. There's more than one way to look at "one thing." It's not just WHAT that one thing is, but that we are only to DO one thing at a time! Wow! My spirit really got excited at the thought of that! You mean it's really okay -- no, it's what God truly desires -- that we deal with one thing at a time? Such freedom in that!
You see, 99% of the time, it's ourselves or other people that put the demands upon us to run ragged and keep five plates spinning with only two hands. God did not design us with that in mind. He wants us to be fully present in every moment, living our lives, not just moving through them, unable to remember the significance of the last hour, day or month. When I look back, time becomes fuzzy to me because not many things truly stand out. I can't tell you what I was doing, I just know I was BUSY.
Here is an excerpt from one of my all-time favorite books that I'm currently re-reading (Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver):
The Practical Power of "One Thing"
1. Invite Jesus to rule and reign. Each morning before you get out of bed, invite the Lord to come take the throne of your life, to be your "one thing." Present your day to him and ask him for wisdom and guidance.
2. Ask God to reveal the next step. As you go through your day, keep asking the Lord, "What is the one thing I need to do next?" Don't let the big picture overwhelm you. Just take the next step as he reveals it -- wash one dish, make one phone call, put on your jogging clothes. Then take the next step... and the next.
3. Have faith that what needs to get done will get done. Since you have dedicated your day to the Lord, trust that he'll show you the one thing or many things that must be done. Do what you can in the time allotted. Then trust that what wasn't accomplished was either unnecessary or is being taken care of by God.
4. Be open to the Spirit's leading. You may find your day interrupted by divine appointments. Instead of resisting the interruptions, flow with the one thing as God brings it across your path. You'll be amazed at the joy and freedom that comes from surrendering your agenda and cooperating with his.
I really like those suggestions and I am going to implement them. God wants to be part of every facet of our lives, not just our spiritual acts. Our whole life is spiritual, so we need to stop compartmentalizing God's role in our lives and allow him to help us even down to the smallest decisions, such as what our next action should be. I think if we'll learn to do that, we'll make a lot less mistakes that we'll need him to bail us out of later!
Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
And your plans will succeed.
~ Proverbs 16:3 ~
And your plans will succeed.
~ Proverbs 16:3 ~
Michele, this was extremely beneficial to me today. As I sit in my living room, looking at all the contents of Bobby's room, I realize that putting it off for so long only meant that I carried
ReplyDeletethat big load longer....like you said, one task at a time. I think that is why I procrastinated....looking at the big picture and thinking it's too big to tackle..and all the while, God is waiting for me to be in touch with Him to guide me. Thank you once again for getting deeper into God's Word through all of your
daily tasks and sharing them, yes, even exposing your weaknesses and faults to the rest of us...but your victories are so exciting!
Have you any thoughts to help a "hoarder"?