It is good

Her head hung while she sat at the table with a pout pulling at my heart as it drew across her face.  Her forehead curled under the weight of concern from being challenged to prepare herself for kindergarten with the task of learning to write her name.  She resolved she could not do it so she would not try.  Taking a seat next her, I suggested we try together.  “Let’s start with the first letter”, I prompted.  She began with reluctance and a smidge of doubt while I considered it was probably too late to change her name to something shorter speed up the process.  We celebrated as she completed the first letter.  Encouragement filled her soul leading her to do the next letter and then the next one as each stroke added a notch of confidence.
The desire to sit back and give up, sulk or pout even does not escape us in adulthood.  Whether it’s a bedtime routine, potty training or establishing a family devotional time, as moms, we face tasks that at times seem daunting.  Throughout the creation story, God teaches through example on how we should approach the big tasks ahead of us.  Let’s explore this here.

Take it one day at a time
On day one He made the day and night.  As we go through the creation story, we see each day laid out with its own specific tasks.  There is no dialogue of what is to come the next day or the day after.  We see no dialogue outlining the to do list or highlighting the yet to be done.  What we see is God focused on the tasks of the day in front of Him, the present day.  Yet as the God who knows the beginning from the end, we know He already knew.  He was well aware of what was to come and what He had planned but we do not read Him letting us in on any statement that includes “and on the next day God will create”.  So why would we look at the scene in front of us and take it all in its entirety leaving us the feel the heaviness of it?  Why would we without the power to see into the future try to look past our today and its tasks to peer into a future we cannot fully comprehend?  The challenge of carrying such a burden is not lost of God.  Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”  What God has placed before us for today is what He is intends for us to spend our energy and time on, not the things of tomorrow.  This is the challenge to us in our faith walk.  Stop thinking ahead and seeing all that needs to be done. Just focus on what needs to be done right now.  He does not give us the view of what is to come for good reason; otherwise, just as my sweet baby girl did, we might dare to crumble under the weight of it. 

God takes one step at a time
Another item of note, looking at the creation story not only do we see God not talking about the next day’s events but we all see that despite His ability to do so, He didn’t try to do everything at one time.  The God of the universe who is able to merely speak all of creation into existence did not say let there be one time and end the creation story with the first verse.  He took it step by step, day by day.  Yet we try to do the opposite or at least we feel the constant pressure at times to do so.  God is showing us that this is not His desire to spend our time or experience life with the pressures of tomorrow weighing on us today.  It’s not sustainable, attainable or realistic.  We do not have to be a supermom or the perception there of in order to accomplish what God has set for us and our children.  Hopefully and prayerfully a sigh of relief just escaped your soul as this sinks in for a moment.  Now take off the heavy burden we place on ourselves as moms and take on the easier yoke and lighter burden of God (Matt 11:30).  Go ahead…. I’ll wait.

Plan but don’t perseverate
God’s desire for us to focus on today does not absolve of us our need to plan for tomorrow.  There is a time for everything (Ecc. 3:1-8).  To know what to focus each moment, we need to plan the path to our end goal.  The best thing we can do is take some time each day to plan for tomorrow.  We have already discussed that God’s plan may differ from our own so find a time at the beginning or end of your day to sit in God’s presence and ask Him how we would have to use the time He is giving you.  Ask Him to order your steps with inspiration on the path or plan you should take to accomplish that which He has instructed you to do.  Ask Him to show you what is urgent versus important.  Once I was able to see the difference, my entire approach to the way I used my time and relieved so much stress and strain.  I have found that journaling just before bed or just before the kids get up helps me focus my day as I set a particular action that will move me towards my larger goal.  Once God sets you the immediate plan, don’t linger on the gravity or depth of it.  Move on by seeking Him to show you how to prioritize these actions.  Let’s not forget that God does not need much time to reset and refocus your outlook so do not be dismayed or discouraged if you do not have an hour to sit and plan the next day or week because whatever you have, God will use mightily to order your steps and give you a lighter burden.

Recognize the good
There is one other thing I do not want you to miss.  At end of each day, God stepped back and took in what He accomplished and said, “It is good”.  Think about that, the God of the universe took a moment to take in the work He had completed.  Again, not reflecting on what He still had to get done but instead celebrating what He had.  We could do a little more celebrating from time to time.  We look at our to do list and only see the to do. We should take time to look over yesterday’s to do list and see what was done.  When our child starts to crawl, we celebrate.  Consider how many moments we would miss out on fully enjoying if we did not celebrate until they started to walk or run.  Imagine what life would feel like to them, if we only celebrated the big and the notable.  Now consider the inner depths of your soul as the part of you that needs to be acknowledged and recognized for even the smallest of accomplishments.  We starve this sometimes as moms because our running tally of the yet to be done and the energy spent trying to keep up.

As you sit in your quiet time with God planning for the next step or the next day, look over the already done and celebrate this.  See that good that has been done and rest in the joy of that for a moment. 

Now go forth living and doing the good that God has called you to do!

Until next time, 

Happy sowing!

Sow the seed: Only carry into today the weight of today.

Nurture the seed:  Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”