Not Enough Time in a Day?

I'm sure we've all said this at one time or another. We're so busy, between kids, husbands, jobs, church, sports...and the list goes on. Oh! And we're supposed to write a specific number of words today! UGH!

How many of you wake up each morning with your first thoughts focused on the endless to-do list waiting for you? How many of you get to the end of that list every day? I know I don't.

I have all the good intentions in the world, but I rarely get them done. Every morning I tell myself I'm going to get in that all-important workout...nope. Coffee calls me...a phone call from a friend...my husband calls to let me know he'll be home late...or worse yet, early! Before I know it, my beautifully structured day has become a total mess. And what about that word count commitment? Ummmm...

Honestly, I might get my writing done for the day, but the rest of the list gets crumpled and tossed into the nearest circular file (my trash bin).

What happens to all those to-dos? Oh, they still need to be done. They get added to the next day's list, and the process starts all over again. By the end of the week, I have a list that cannot possibly be completed and I feel incompetent and defeated. All those negative thoughts begin to take over: What kind of a horrible _____ am I? Wife, mother, friend—you fill in the blank. An even worse question: What kind of a horrible CHRISTIAN am I?

Yes…I’ve gone there. I’m pretty sure many of you have also, but that’s not where our minds are supposed to go. None of those negative thoughts would ever come from our Lord. Where did we go wrong?

First and foremost, God didn’t get it wrong. He never does. He gave us twenty-four hours in each day to use according to His plan, not ours. We weren’t meant to start each morning already behind the eight-ball. We weren’t meant to run ragged trying to check off all the to-dos on the list we prepared for our day. We’re not even supposed to squeeze in that workout first thing in the morning. Instead, He intended for us to start our day with Him. He even tells us this over and over in His Word.

“Really?” you say. Yes! Absolutely!

All I had to do was search online using the phrase “spending time with God,” and I found over one-hundred scriptures referring to ways Jesus, his disciples, and others were either instructed to spend time or found ways to spend time with God. Wouldn’t you say that makes it important?

Our God does not make mistakes. His plan is perfect. All we need to do is pay attention to what He has already told us to do. Even King David knew the importance of putting the Lord first: “I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words.” (Psalm 119:147) ESV

We have enough time. Our Father made sure of it. We simply must be good stewards of the time He gave us, and Jesus gives us the perfect example to follow: “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35). ESV

For this day, and all the days going forward, my prayer is for you to spend those precious first moments of your day with your loving Abba Father. He will take care of the rest. After all, He said, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) ESV.

Don’t trust me…Trust Him. By giving the Lord the position He deserves, first place in our lives, we'll accomplish exactly what He intends for us to do in the time He's given us each day. We'll get it done!