The Friday of the first week back to school is a welcomed thing. We only go a partial week so it serves as a great test run for the new systems of the school year. We were lucky enough to not have homework this week which gave me a chance to get a handle on the morning routine first–the after-school routine will be next week.
One of the secrets that I am learning in motherhood is that every day goes better with God first. What? That isn’t a secret? Well no one told me when I was younger about the simplicity of this secret. The vague call to spend time with God is often clouded with lofty ideas of having a prayer closet, sitting quietly before God, reading the bible, and praying and worshiping and writing in your journal. Not that that doesn’t sound delicious, but it is hard to attain and commit to every single day. It is also not a requirement. God wants you, not a regimen.
These things are all good and will produce a good result, but if you pick up the chains of guilt and shame each time you don’t check these things off the daily tasks, then they have become a burden and a partition between you and God. This is what the Enemy wants! He wants us to see these disciplines as absolutes that have (possibly) positive results if achieved and devastating results if not fulfilled. This myth is further perpetuated by Christians who somehow think they are more holy because they do all of the above more than you. We need to feel like our efforts get us further up in line for the Glory Train. You know, like those fast passes you can buy at Disney. You just pay a little extra (here its time and effort) and BOOM! you get to cut a few thousand half-Christians in line!
I hate to burst your bubble, but it just doesn’t work like that!
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Isaiah 64:6 (NIV)
This verse isn’t meant to be defeating, but it gives perspective if you are tempted to feel “more than” because of your disciplines. They don’t entitle you to more blessings. If you are doing it all for a blessing effect then you will be disappointed. Us pressing in (in whatever capacity) to the Father is and forever has to be rooted in our desire to know HIM. To know him more and deeper, to fall more passionately in love with him. To begin to see people the way he sees people. None of this is possible without a relationship.
The point? Well, he wired you to be you. What part of the disciplines speaks to you the loudest? Which discipline comes the easiest? Pick that one and do it every day. The others? They are important too and as you spend time with God, Holy Spirit will help you incorporate those into your relationship. But this isn’t meant to be all hard all the time. Use the easiest route most and ask how to use the others. He will show you. He will not leave you to figure out ways to commune with him. He wants you for who you are and how you are wired. Don’t look to the side and see Suzy over there that prays for an hour each morning and think to yourself that she has it all figured out. Prayer may come easy to her, but reading the Bible comes easy to you. Don’t you think he knows you struggle with prayer focus? That doesn’t mean he wants you any less. He loves you and wants you for you!