Simplify has been a word that I have used for years. I have a sign in my dining room with that single word on it. I would even take time in my Bible study group near the Christmas season and spend several weeks at the beginning of the class going over ways that we can simplify our lives and enjoy them more. We have so much stuff, both materially and personally in our lives, that we are overloaded.
If you are like me, you have a difficult time saying no. I want to do it all! And many things are well worth doing, but “we can’t be everything to everybody and we can’t do it all. We will cheat our families, cheat ourselves or cheat God. And sometimes we cheat all three.
Make a list of your daily activities and rate them. See if you are lopsided in any one area? Decide if there is something that you might want to delete from that list. I know that sometimes there isn’t anything that can be taken off and we have to go through some stress days but you get my idea.
Maybe you need to say “no” the next time you are asked to head up a group or be involved in a task. Give yourself some down time to just listen to the Lord and by all means get into His Word. He misses you when you don’t have time for Him.
Let me make this perfectly clear -- I am not preaching at you, I am writing this entry for myself. Now if I will just listen to my own teaching!
Psalm 119:36, 37 says, “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; renew my life according to your Word.”
Patricia Harvey
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Amen to this, Patricia!
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard for me to say 'No' but I'm getting better at it. And I'm even feeling less guilty when I say it. God, indeed, is a miracle worker! *grin*
~Karen
Great thoughts here, Patricia. I have a pillow on my bed that says: "Simplify"....
ReplyDeleteOne thought I have is that we need to be ready to face the fact that we are not what we do. God has given us worth and value that is not based on performance. He declared it on the cross of Christ. Once we have that truth packed into our hearts and minds, we can focus on those things He has for us, whether they be great in number or few...and that is up to Him.
You mentioned the relational part of listening to the LORD and being in His Word. That is a key for sure. We cannot know what He is asking of us if we don't connect with Him.
We find, like Martha, it certainly is not an easy task to fight the "shoulds" and "oughts"....but like Mary...really there is one thing that is most important and if we find that, we will find that Jesus is smiling on us and we can be secure that it will not be taken from us...
Luke 10:41 And the Lord answered, and said to her, Martha, Martha, thou art busy, and art troubled about full many things; 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part [Mary hath chosen the better part], which shall not be taken away from her. (wycliff)
God bless you!