Because God orders our steps, we can always be assured that there is enough time in each day to do His will. His purpose is for us to move in rest, live in peace, and abound in joy.
Roy Lessin
The sweet symphony of each bird that sings,
the babbling brook and the trickling spring,
radiant moon illuminating the night,
white-tailed deer, an eagle in flight,
gentle spring rain, soft falling snow,
twinkling stars, sun’s golden glow,
warm summer wind, a rainbow’s hue,
cotton-like clouds against a sky of blue,
flowers blooming vivid and bright,
icicles glistening in winter sunlight,
tender green plants and towering trees,
the roaring waves and the ocean breeze,
majestic mountains overlooking the land,
in all of these things I see God’s hand.
A masterpiece painting perfectly displayed,
His presence clearly seen in the things He has made.
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5: 18)
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday, I was outside enjoying warmer temperatures and working in my flower beds. The daffodils and tulips had poked through the frozen soil, and dandelions were popping their colorful heads out from the barren ground. I was excited to see the Canadian geese were nesting peacefully by the pond.
Today, the flowers are hidden by the snow, and mother goose looks out of place sitting on her nest surrounded by snow. Getting a snow storm on the first day of spring is a reminder of how unpredictable life is and how we must be prepared to accept the challenges and changes that arrive unexpectedly.
When I woke up this morning, social media was already buzzing about the latest snow storm ruining the first day of spring. I love the spring season, and I’m more than ready to say goodbye to cold temperatures and winter. However, waking up to the beauty of fresh-falling snow is one thing I never take for granted. I grabbed my camera and captured a few photos of what may be the last measurable snowfall as the winter season exits the scene and spring makes it long-awaited debut.
It’s easy to grumble and complain when unexpected things interfere with our plans. In fact, complaining about everything has become a way of life in our world. I often find myself complaining about stuff without even realizing it. I grumble about the immoral world we live in, the weather, the prices in the grocery store, the high cost of medical care, my health, how people act, or how tired I am.
Complaining is never helpful, and it only makes us feel worse. The Bible teaches us to be thankful in all circumstances, and that includes a surprise snowstorm on the first day of spring.
How much better the world would be if everyone started to give thanks in all circumstances! Can you imagine the difference it would make? When I’m around someone who has a positive outlook on life, I feel better about my life. Thankfulness is contagious. Unfortunately, grumbling is also contagious.
It’s never too late to develop a habit of being grateful. Life is hard. Some circumstances are very bleak, but a thankful attitude can bring hope to us and to those around us. No matter what, there’s always something to be thankful for in our lives.
Life is about choices. While we don’t have control over many of the circumstances in life, we always have control over how we choose to see them. We can choose to let an unexpected snow storm ruin the first day of spring, or we can see the beauty of fresh-falling snow blanketing the landscape and choose to celebrate the amazing world God created.
My pastor once told a story about a famous pianist and his daily commitment to practice his music. The pianist said if he missed one day he could tell. If he missed two days his friends and family could tell. If he missed three days the world could tell.
The pastor used the story in comparison to Christians who miss their daily time spent in prayer and reading the Bible. I never forgot the story. I’ve experienced it in my own life and I know it’s true.
When I first became a Christian, I went to church every week but rarely opened my Bible between services. This pattern continued for years until I joined First Place 4 Health, which is a Christian-based weight loss group.
In the First Place program we had daily commitments to keep each day, and we checked them off on our little cardboard trackers. The spiritual commitments included a daily time of prayer, scripture reading, and scripture memory. Being a perfectionist, I hated seeing unchecked boxes on my tracker, so I started to get up early each morning to have my quiet time.
Little did I know how much it would change my life. While I didn’t follow the eating and exercise parts of the program like I should have, I continued with the spiritual commitments. I noticed a difference in my attitude right away. There was just something about starting my day off with scripture and prayer that seemed to make the day go better.
I’m pretty consistent with my daily quiet time, but every now and then I get side tracked and neglect it. Like the pianist, I can tell when I’m getting careless about my daily devotional time.
I seem to get off track now more than I did in previous years when my children were still living at home. I often think how strange it is that I struggle to have my quiet time more now when I live alone than when I had a houseful of kids to feed and run to activities.
Why is it more difficult now? I believe it’s because my life is filled with more distractions from technology. It’s not uncommon for my cell phone to be beeping with new text messages all hours of the night or early in the morning. There’s email to check and computers to update and the pull of favorite TV shows to watch on the DVR.
Life is rarely quiet with the advancing world of technical gadgets beeping and ringing constantly. I’m always checking my email to keep on top of my writing business and client needs. It’s not unusual for me to stay up until the wee hours of the morning working, which makes getting up early less attractive.
Like many people, I’ve been caught by the technology bug and it erodes my daily quiet time more often than I care to admit. Do I really need to check my email or Facebook a dozen times a day? Of course not. Like anything else, when used within limits, technology and social media can be beneficial and good. When used excessively they divert our attention from more important things.
Like the piano player, I can tell when I’m out of practice with my daily quiet time. I find myself struggling more with depression, impatience, and thinking unkind thoughts about certain people in my life.
When I’m not in the word and soaking up Biblical truth daily, I see changes in my life that aren’t pretty, and I’m sure those around me can notice a difference too.
When I set aside the first part of the day to spend with God, I feel like my life is in control. Jumping out of bed and right into the day without meeting with God first is sort of like telling God, “I don’t need you today. I can handle this on my own.”
Even Jesus made time to get up early and pray in the midst of his busy schedule. Reading the first chapter of Mark always helps me put things into perspective when I think I’m too busy to have my quiet time.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1: 35
In the scriptures leading up to Mark 1: 35, we see Jesus at work teaching in the synagogue, dealing with evil spirits, and healing a woman with a fever. In fact, after his already full and busy day it says the entire town gathered at his door after sunset. The people had brought all the sick and demon-possessed people to him, and Jesus healed many of them and drove out demons.
It certainly doesn’t sound like Jesus had an easy day at the office. He didn’t come home and sink into the recliner to watch TV. His work and ministry continued past sunset. But the next morning, instead of sleeping in, Jesus got up very early and went off to have time alone in prayer before he started another full day.
Setting aside some time each day for prayer and Bible reading, no matter how small, is the most important thing we will do in our Christian walk. It’s the best way to protect ourselves from attacks from Satan and to stay grounded in our faith.
Your daily quiet time will look different from mine. Each season of life brings unique challenges with it, and we may have to adjust our schedules to accommodate husbands, children, work, and family needs.
Whether we choose to set aside some time in the morning or at another time during the day for our quiet time, the important thing is consistency. Carving out a few minutes a day to spend in prayer and reading the Bible is a necessary discipline in every season of life.
Beautiful musical pieces are composed as a result of daily and consistent practice. Beautiful Christian lives are created as a result of daily and consistent time spent with our Heavenly father. When we spend time with him, others will see his beauty reflected in us.
“For I know the plans I have for you, “declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
(Jeremiah 29: 11)
The dictionary defines the word despair as to lose all hope or confidence. I often find myself dwelling in the pit of despair. It’s not a pretty place to be. I’ve had to fight to stay out of that pit, and at times I’ve sunk in head first and stayed there longer than I should have.
Living in despair affects every aspect of your life. You lose interest in the things you once enjoyed. You find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. You don’t feel as if you have any purpose in life. Each day becomes an endurance contest. You stop living and start existing, just going through the motions of daily life.
I’ve lost track of how many times I resided in the pit of despair during the past several years while battling health and personal issues, and I hated every minute of it. Being a resident of the pit of despair will suck the life right out of you.
It will cause you to question why you are even here on this earth and if you have any purpose in life. Instead of seeing your worth in Christ, you base your self-worth on the hurtful words of others or how lousy you feel. You start to act like despair is your calling.
The words that race through your mind when in the pit of despair, such as worthless, rejected, unloved, unwanted, abandoned, replaced, sick, miserable, etc., are always negative and untrue. You feel hopeless and fearful of the future.
I’ve always enjoyed watching Anne of Green Gables. The character, Marilla, is well known for the following quote: “To despair is to turn your back on God.” Marilla’s definition may seem a little harsh, but it’s true.
When we allow others to define our self-worth instead of God, it’s easy to end up in the pit of despair. When we allow feelings of hopelessness to creep into our thoughts, we stop believing God is good. We stop trusting in his promises.
God’s promises are overflowing with hope and love. He did not call us to a life of despair and hopelessness. He has plans for our lives – plans for a hope and a future.
One of my favorite verses regarding hope is found in Romans 15: 13:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As you begin to focus on God’s promises rather than the words of others or your emotions, those old destructive words will be replaced with lovely words of hope found in scripture – worthy, loved, hopeful, joyful, peaceful, redeemed, and protected.
Are you living the life of hope God desires for you to live, or are you just existing and trying to make it through one more day dwelling in the pit of despair? As you fill your mind with God’s truth, there will be less room for negative thoughts.
As women who belong to the God of hope, living in despair is not our calling.