Hello Journey Mates,
I read an excellent blog post that I’d like to share it with you! Be encouraged as you read the post below knowing that HE is a God of second chances.
Simple Truth for Today: God Allows Do-Overs
By: Rebecca Barlow Jordan
This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24, NKJV).
If God truly allows do-overs, what would you choose to “do over?” What daily actions or positive attitudes would you take to move your life forward?
Ann Landers often quoted the poem “Just for Today,” a piece attributed to Kenneth Holmes. Others such as Narcotic Anonymous have used that same poem as motivation to choose “do-overs”: daily postitve actions for their lives in rehabilitation.
One day as I was journaling, I jotted down my own version of “Just for Today” actions:
This Day…
- I will not analyze my life or my emotions.
- I will not condemn myself for inactivity or incompletion.
- I will not grow weary of doing good.
- I will give myself to every assignment with smiles and purpose.
- I will trust God to bring reward of simple tasks.
- I will not worry if I am doing enough, being enough, or if I have enough.
- I will love God and others and seek to put them first before my own needs.
- I will ask God for wisdom for every decision, great or small.
- I will pay attention to interruptions and the Spirit’s nudging.
- I will ask for His Spirit’s filling and enjoy it when He does–and by faith walk in it.
- I will reject every non-productive, damaging, or hurtful thought–preferring that which is honorable, true, good, wholesome, and loving.
- I will lean hard on the Lord for understanding, trusting Him to direct my paths.
- I will expect, look for, and anticipate the Lord’s direction, answers, and wisdom.
- I will celebrate every moment as a precious gift, holding those things which God has given me loosely in my hands–because they all belong to Him.
When I started journaling that day, my body was tired and begging for sleep, but my Spirit craved God’s fellowship. The latter was the greater longing. By the time I had finished writing and reading God’s thoughts to me from His Word, I felt refreshed, renewed, hopeful, expectant, joyful, prepared, and eager to begin the day.
“Plain” suddenly turned to “divine,” and His purpose for me for that day grew clear: to leave heaven’s imprint on that day and to see God’s fingerprints in everything, to know Him and to make Him known, and to add His beauty in big and simple tasks.
Was I successful in my “do-over” plan that day? In my own strength, never. But it gave a clear picture of where I wanted to go. They were simple affirmations and desires of my heart.
We All Struggle
We all experience days and seasons when we fight a battle of the “wills.” I do. Some days we may struggle to get moving and our “gratitude” list shrinks, while our complaint list grows. But when we approach life one day at a time, even listing only one “I will,” God will do His part to meet us where we are. We will not accomplish anything by sheer “will” power, but only through God’s power working through us.
Begin and Depend
Check out the Psalms, and all the “I will’s” that the psalmist David wrote. The first step is to begin–and then depend (on the Lord).
This is the day the Lord has made. I choose (I will) be glad in it! This day…what would you like to do or not do through God’s power working in you?
(c) 2011, Rebecca Barlow Jordan, www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com/blog, 9/26/2011, Used by Permission. www.rebeccabarlowjordan.com.
