I start each day by reading a page in my Jesus Calling book. If you're not familiar with the book, each day's devotion is written from the perspective of God talking to the reader.
Here's what last Thursday's said:
This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances. The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank Me for them. This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.As I was getting ready for my day, I thought about that line that said, "Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life." I wanted to start my day that way.
To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries. I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments. I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in My Presence today. (Psalm 118:24; Philippians 3:13-14)
So I began praying and trying to offer God my open hands, mind, and heart to receive what he had planned for my day. That's hard for a girl like me. I like to know what's around the corner. I like to stay on top of what's happening with my family. That's a nice way of saying I like to be in control.
As I was praying and willing myself to do this difficult thing of yielding my day to God, he gave me a very clear mental image to understand this concept.
Sometimes God speaks to me this way, by simply bringing a thought to my mind. It seems very much like my own thought, but I just know that he's the author of it.
The mental image he gave me was of Jared planning a surprise date for me. He had carefully planned out every detail and wanted me to ride along and wait for him to show me each part. We had to drive through some not-so-nice places in order to get to the places he had carefully selected for our date.
I felt God challenging me to imagine how Jared would feel if I questioned him at every turn and stop. He would start out so excited to surprise me with all his romantic details, and I would be wearing away at his excitement if I questioned him the whole way and refused to simply ride along and let him do the date as he had planned.
I'm sure you already follow the connection of how this mental image relates to me trusting God to plan my day and show me his plans in his timing. God just knows me well enough to explain it in terms I can easily understand.
I would hate to ruin Jared's carefully thought-out plans for our time together. And because I can understand that, I can make the connection that I also don't want to ruin the carefully thought-out plans that God has for each day.
Look at today as a date with God. He already has it planned out for you. Will you follow along attentively and let him show you what he has chosen just for you?
Jessica
P.S. Remember how I had this great conversation with God in the morning, and then the rest of my day was horribly stressful? Well, God was in that, too. I may not understand why that day was so difficult, but I had already made a commitment to trust God with however the day went. Spiritually, I trusted God. But physically and emotionally, I was exhausted. I held it together until Thursday night at my Women's Bible Study, when I accidentally started crying while trying to tell the ladies about my day. I couldn't stop the tears, so I just gave in. God nudged me to use this moment of vulnerability to finally tell these ladies about Griffin's Asperger's diagnosis, which I had not previously discussed. God drove me through some not-so-nice places on Thursday in order to take me to the places he had planned. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment