And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17
Like many of you, I invest time at the beginning of each week to plan out what needs to be accomplished each day. Color-coding in ink pens for various tasks helps my brain compartmentalize and prioritize …
Fuchsia for daily author/writing goals.
Purple for social events (activities that involve real people ).
Blue for personal tasks, appointments (a girl must take time to get her hair done).
Despite my steely determination to accomplish everything in my planner, life has its own agenda. How could I have known I’d get a call on Tuesday from my sister with updates on our 94 year old father? Or receive a slew of texts the following day from my daughter who needed undivided attention in the midst of her anxiety attack? Or experience lingering mental lag from a pandemic? (who plans for that? And if so, I guess it’d be penned in black ink.)
Scheduled or not, much of what we set out to do just doesn’t get done.
Rather than lament, I’ve chosen to flip my thinking.
If I didn’t complete a word count goal but didn’t complain about it, I’ve accomplished a lot.
If I didn’t secure the topic for that week’s blog post and establish key points, but took time to praise God who provided the spark of spiritual inspiration, I’ve accomplished a lot.
If I didn’t make the phone call to a friend as planned—in perfect purple ink—but trusted God’s timing, prayed for her in the interim, I’ve accomplished a lot.
Get the idea?
…giving thanks to God the Father …
In any circumstance, the absence of negativity and grumbling is a hugeaccomplishment. When I choose to love God above all else and give him command over every thought, word, and deed, I’ve achieved a worthy goal.
I, for one, need to accomplish more of it because the rewards for accomplishing tasks in the name of the Lord Jesus—with thanksgiving—are everlasting.
How about you? What haven’t you accomplished today? Are others blessed because of it? Does it make God’s heart smile?
— Mary
If you'd like to receive my blog and quarterly author newsletter, subscribe here!.
Here's the talk I gave April 20th with a dear friend of mine. Shining Your Light in Brokenness has received over 100 views!! May it encourage you in seasons of hardship and give you proper perspective.
Comments