It doesn’t take long after we wake up for thoughts to begin flooding our minds. Sometimes we can’t get a word in edge-wise with our thoughts can we?
The dog needs walked. The kids need fed. The husband’s lunch needs packed. The laundry needs to be started. I forgot to pay that bill…again. My boss expects me to do everything all and once. Doesn’t she know I’m not super woman? The budget needs to be done for next month. I need to withdraw the cash for our envelopes. The dog needs bathed. I need a hair cut. Have we even thought about Raintree? I need to file a claim on the car theft. I really need to have a conversation with my husband about the conflict we had the other night. The oil needs changed. Groceries need to be bought. I guess I should figure out what I have in my pantry first.
The list goes on, doesn’t it? It seems like anything and everything is vying for your attention. It appears that nothing you do or can do will get you “ahead.” There’s always something that you could be doing, but at the expense of something else.
Mark and I can definitely relate. We’re currently in a season of life where things just seem to pile up ever so easily. I think it’s especially hard for Mark right now as he learns to balance work and home life with the added responsibilities of church and Raintree.
In my new role as wife and homemaker first and office worker second, I’ve found that the things that I need to be doing seem to have only intensified. It was much easier when the majority of my day was under the close watch of a boss. Now, I am experiencing what it is like to be fully aware that I am working for God.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of self-sufficiency in seasons that seem to require everything from us.
Mark and I have often said in the last few weeks that everything seems like a priority. We’ve found ourselves scrambling around trying to meet all the demands on our time. However, we have come to realize by God’s grace that doing it on our own strength gets us no where but depressed, exhausted, and defeated. What are we doing to get through this season?
Here are our 7 steps to renounce self-sufficiency:
1. Talking to ourselves. When we wake, the thoughts begin to flood in, but by God’s grace we stop. Take a breath, and proceed to talk to ourselves. Preach the Gospel to ourselves. In talking to ourselves, we tell ourselves that our greatest need has been met. We remind ourselves that we deserve God’s eternal wrath, but instead we are clothed in Jesus Christ’s righteousness.
2. Immerse ourselves in truth. In light of the Gospel, we talk to ourselves about God’s unfailing love and faithfulness to us. We read God’s word and meditate on the truths in His word.
3. Pray without ceasing. We begin our days with prayer and continue in prayer throughout the day. Crying out to God with our needs and asking for His Holy Spirit to enable us to glorify Him with our day.
4. Take our eyes off our circumstances. When all we do is look at our circumstances and all that is piled up before us, it is so easy to forget about God. God never calls you to a place that His grace will not cover.
5. Humble ourselves and confess that we need God. By taking our eyes off of our circumstances, we should instead turn our eyes to God. He is All-sufficient and All-powerful. He always gets His to do list done.
6. Rejoice and sing praises. God’s word says that we should rejoice always even in hard or seemingly hopeless situations. This becomes easy when we take our eyes off ourselves and look to God the Almighty.
7. Laugh. A lot. It just makes you feel better. 🙂
[…] light of a recent post, 7 Steps for Beating Self-Sufficiency, I found myself identifying with the Israelites. How hard it must have been. They now had to seek […]