One Day At A Time

We're in the middle of planning a big move soon, and some days it seems overwhelming. How can I carry on homeschooling when I have so much to do? How am I going to get the whole house packed up in time? God's answer was to force me to rest for 10 days! I have no idea what I did to my back, but one day it was suddenly impossible for me to put my own socks on and far too painful to consider loading up boxes of books.

I was forced to re-examine what was going on in my head. Yep, I was trying to do everything in my own strength again instead of abiding in Him! The verse about His power being made perfect through my weakness immediately came to mind (2 Corinthians 12:9). Interestingly there was a sense of peace that accompanied it. Yes, God is in control, and yes He will help me to do all the things I need to do, but right now He needs me to slow down and submit to His timetable. He needs me just to focus on taking one day at a time.

The children of Israel were forced to take one day at a time when they had to go out and collect manna in the desert. It was a lesson in trust: trusting that God would provide for all their needs. Jesus also taught about taking one day at a time when He told his disciples just to focus on today and not to worry about tomorrow.

Now, of course, I'm not saying that God isn't pleased when we make plans and goals or buy life insurance, but when we start to worry about tomorrow and be anxious about all we have to do then our hearts and minds are no longer being guarded by His peace, that transcends all understanding. Instead, we are told to cast all our anxieties on Him and focus our efforts on abiding in Christ today...and then the next day....and then the next day...

Andrew Murray, in his book 'Abide in Christ', tells the story of a patient who had been involved in an accident. He anxiously asked the doctor how long he would have to stay in the hospital, and the doctor replied "Only a day at a time." When faced with a daunting task, like packing up our house and moving to another country for a while, we would do well to take the doctor's advice!

I encourage you right now to spend the day just focussing on 'today' and leave all of your anxieties about 'tomorrow' in Jesus' capable hands.

photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net/stuart miles