What Do I HAVE to do?  My Anchor for God Time

This post is by Patty Lewis.

List making is my thing.  But, lately I’ve been pondering whether or not my obsession with it is healthy:  driving myself mad and becoming very overwhelmed by all the things there are to do and accomplish, spending a lot of precious time prioritizing and sorting through, reviewing the items to do and ending up with multiple sticky notes of lists that demand accomplishment.  By the time I get halfway through my day, I am super worked up about everything and I drive my people crazy with it.  But I am the manager of my home, and I cannot entirely ignore all the things that need attention.

Perhaps one of my life’s missions is learning how to put these things in their place and not be a slave to them, learning to literally just be ok in God’s grace, to rest and relax a little more.

I decided a long time ago to follow Jesus Christ.  Sometimes, though, I find myself looking down and around, lost on a trail somewhere.  When I look up and forward, I don’t see Him right in front of me.  I’ve been so focused on what is happening, what needs to be done, what the numbers are being reported as, what local government mandates, what will happen to my husband’s job, what will we do if a family member becomes very ill and so on.  I look up and realize my focus has wandered.  So have I.

Hello Mornings has helped me regain focus during many seasons in my life when I have been drifting on the deep seas or wandering in unknown pastures, looking for greener grass, and following the wisdom of this world instead of my Shepherd. I’m thankful for Kat Lee and the Hello Mornings team who faithfully answered the call on their lives to help women walk with the Lord.  Because of their ministry, I can focus again with a few simple tools and a healthy dose of encouragement.  I just need to start somewhere and let it be enough.

My mornings look different in this season of my life.  I believe some of us are really harsh with ourselves for not “doing” what we believe we HAVE to.  We can be easily convinced that time with the Lord must look a certain way and requirements met for it to count.  This is actually quite contrary to what God tells us in His Word.  There is abundant grace and mercy that are already poured out for us.  He isn’t instructing us to acquire material things, bring a certain Bible study or play the right music.  None of these are wrong, they just aren’t required.  What He says is really this:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Matthew 11:28-29

I can spend so much time preparing for a thing, including my quiet time, that I miss out on a lot of time I could be sitting at His Feet.  So lately, I’ve been getting up in the dark and quiet of the bedroom, brushing my teeth, taking a drink of water, pulling my hair back, and getting dressed for around the house…then, I sit on the floor, at the end of our bed, in the almost dark room, and I talk with Him while I stretch, slowly and purposefully.

This has been a season of slowing down and sipping.  In the past (and sometimes now) I’ve been tempted to rush and gulp.  Do you know what happens when you rush and gulp?  There is a lot of tripping, falling, bruising, choking, indigestion…you get the point.  

Instead, I’m choosing to rest in the simple, focusing on one verse.  The God Time Anchor is praying one verse.  Today, I’m choosing this one:  Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing  Proverbs 12:18.  I’m going to stick with it for a little while.  My people have been suffering from tongue lashings of my critical spirit for a while.

Praying a verse in my quiet time with Him and talking and listening.  This is all it looks like for me these days.  Following Him through my day and trying not to wander off or drift away.  Knowing He will come for me if I do. 

May The Lord bless you and your family.  

Patty Lewis lives on the Space Coast of Florida with her Husband, Son, Mother-in-Law, dog and two cats.  She is a homeschool Momma, loves serving other Moms in her Church and community through encouragement in practical ways and enjoys reading, gardening, Disney, anything with her family and laughing really loud.

Photo by Jeremy Yap on Unsplash