During a phone interview, I was asked what my personal goals for life included. I laughed and answered sheepishly “If you had asked me that 3 years ago I would have given you a list of lofty goals and dreams. Now I would like to live just one day making all the right decisions and glorifying my God (making God’s character obvious to the watching world) perfectly! If I can do that just one day, my life will be a success.” Ever been there yourself?
When I look back over the years, the best years of my life have been the ones that started with this prayer-“Lord, this year, please help me live in the moment. In other words, help me to focus on the student that is in my room right now, to meet the demands of the tasks that are on my desk right now, and to be tuned into the needs of the people that are around me right now. The big things that make up the future are Your's to worry about and control while I do today’s tasks.” I like catchy little phrases, so this “living in the moment” idea I am going to call “this-moment” type of thinking.
Over the past 18 months the Lord has laid 3 verses on my own heart and convicted me over my lack of “this moment” thinking. I would prefer to see my whole life laid out in front of me. I want to know what tomorrow holds and the "why" to things that happen outside my control. I want answers to some of life's unanswerable questions. Here are the three verses I am asking God to use in my life for the remaining 358 days of 2013.
I Peter 2:9-“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge.”
Personal observations: Virtue means excellence. In Bible times excellence carried
the meaning of doing the job that some thing was created to do. An excellent knife
cuts; an excellent car gets you from point A to point B safely, etc.
Personal conviction: Am I fulfilling the task that God has created me to fulfill today?
Am I doing that job/task with the intended desired end being the glory of God
(making God’s character obvious to the watching world)? Lord, I desperately need
help walking circumspectly today!!!
Acts 20:24-“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if I only I may finish my course (with joy) and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Personal observation: WOW! Life just got simple…I must simply finish the God-given
ministry/task that is for today and do it with joy, making sure my end goal is God’s
glory (making God’s character obvious to a watching world). Nothing else holds
lasting value.
Personal conviction: Have I been in God’s Word today with an open heart and mind
so I am eager to find God’s ministry and course for my life today? Have I recently re-
evaluated my ministry, my budget, my schedule, my goals to ensure that these are
aligned with God’s ministry, budget, schedule, and goals for me? Do I view success as
getting through Jenn’s checklist for today or getting through God’s checklist for Jenn
today? Am I in God’s Word enough to know the difference?
Psalm 131:1-2-“O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.”
Personal observation: Some things are too profound for me to understand. Peace and
quietness of soul can be mine if I learn the difference between the profound and the
knowable.
Personal conviction: Have I lived today in such a way that demonstrates that I am
trusting God for the future? Do I keep my eyes and heart on the present and leave the
explanation to disappointments and heartaches, the future events of my life, and my
unanswered prayers and longings of my heart (“things to great and too marvelous for
me) with my God? How do I leave those things with my God? Some days it literally
requires a moment-by-moment surrender of those things to God by being real with
God and letting Him see my tears and hurts, but with joy attacking the job for today
with all the enthusiasm and energy I have. Is my heart and soul quiet right now?
(Quiet means still, free from distraction, restful, peaceful.) Do I demand
explanations for current situations or assurances for the future before I trust my
God?
Lord, may 2013 be one of “this-moment” living. May I never lose sight of today’s people and today’s ministry opportunities by focusing on tomorrow or trying to figure out the past. May I be content with “food sufficient for me.”