In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps. Proverbs 16:9
Bright sticky notes cover our mirrors with never ending to-do lists. Our planners are busting at the seams with appointments, coffee dates, and assignments. Reminders, alarms, and lists are constantly fighting for our attention and drawing our focus farther and farther away from our Father.
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps”. Proverbs 16:9
There is nothing wrong with making big plans, with buying plane tickets to see friends and making bold moves to reach out to those you know need it. But destruction and folly lie in desperately planning every waking minute of our days.
A friend once challenged me, “If you leave no time in your day, where will Jesus have time to use you?”
We live in a world that tells us that busy is good. Our society tell us the most impressive answer to “How are you?” is “Man, I am so worn out”. We equate busyness with effectiveness. When our self-worth begins to be found in self-efficacy, anxiety and worry are bred. Our days become about how much we can do and we end up in a nasty cycle of exhaustion headed towards burnout.
Only when we allow God to order our steps, do our steps make their designed impact. When we give God space in our schedules, he can use our time better than we could ever imagine. Through His guidance, our calendar can become less about filling space and more about lasting impact. With Him we can trade stress, anxiety and exhaustion for peace, rest, and assurance in the future.
As you reflect on your time today, consider these questions:
1. Do you find yourself too busy to spend time with Jesus? What in your schedule makes taking this time out of your day hard?
2. Is there something that you have been drawn to lately that you haven’t had time for? How can you make time for that one thing?
3. Is your schedule full of junk? Are you saying yes or no to the right things?
Declutter your schedule, find the freedom to say no, and set boundaries where you won’t over extend. Today leave room for the Creator of the Universe to work in and through you. Find rest in abiding in what He has for you.
