Biblical
Priority #4 – Home
by Stephanie H.
The Holy Spirit
has been showing me that I need to simplify my life. Recently my brain, a.k.a. my iPhone, crashed
and luckily we had the warranty. But,
that warranty did not save my calendar or the contacts I had added in the last
6 months. Two days later my husband
asked, “What is going on this weekend?”
I went to look at my calendar and anxiety set in. I took a deep breath and said, “Well I guess
whatever we want!” I felt convicted
about my response to losing my calendar and how I had made it an idol. I spent time praying about what should go
back on my calendar and what I would have to say no to. “Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your
paths. Guide me in your truth and teach
me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:4-5 NIV The more cluttered I allow my life to be, the
less I sense the presence of Jesus; He seems to get lost in the shuffle. The clutter is not just with physical stuff,
but also with things I do with my time and things I invite into my life that
create a more frenzied schedule and pace. I am thankful I learned the lesson
before Christmas so I can spend time praying about what will go on my Calendar
for the Holidays and where I will make more room for Jesus. I hope you will too!
For you it may not be that you lost your calendar. Perhaps you are trying to potty train a toddler, so traveling a long distance sounds like a fiasco. Maybe your husband has had a heavy workload lately and trying to attend too many holiday events is going to add stress to your marriage. Maybe you had your mind set on taking your daughter to see The Nutcracker for the first time, but the finances aren’t there. Or perhaps you love getting sucked into the gift-buying-house-decorating-party-hopping-cookie-baking-calendar-filling-most-wonderful-time-of-the-yea! These things are not bad things, but they may not be God’s best for you! “Fix your thought on Jesus” Hebrews 3:1 NIV His plans for your life are far more wonderful than anything you could ever plan or imagine!
It’s okay to say no! Even at Christmas!
For you it may not be that you lost your calendar. Perhaps you are trying to potty train a toddler, so traveling a long distance sounds like a fiasco. Maybe your husband has had a heavy workload lately and trying to attend too many holiday events is going to add stress to your marriage. Maybe you had your mind set on taking your daughter to see The Nutcracker for the first time, but the finances aren’t there. Or perhaps you love getting sucked into the gift-buying-house-decorating-party-hopping-cookie-baking-calendar-filling-most-wonderful-time-of-the-yea! These things are not bad things, but they may not be God’s best for you! “Fix your thought on Jesus” Hebrews 3:1 NIV His plans for your life are far more wonderful than anything you could ever plan or imagine!
It’s okay to say no! Even at Christmas!
· Try to evaluate what your immediate family needs and
wants are first. We try to please so
many people during the Holidays, that sometimes our own family suffers or we
add stress to the situation.
· Make a decision about how many events or activities
your family can handle doing and discuss as a family the events chosen.
· Make a bigger deal out of the smaller things. Make hot chocolate and sit around the
Christmas tree and read Christmas books.
Play Christmas music and have everyone decorate the Christmas tree, help
wrap presents or make cookies.
· Simplify the gift giving. A gift that is inexpensive and absolutely
priceless is your time!
Make More Room for Jesus
Challenge: Pray
before adding anything to your calendar this month. Watch how God will bless your time!
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