Overwhelming Choices
I am often overwhelmed by the tasks I see in front of me — all the materials I feel compelled to write, the webinars, blogs, and presentations, workshops to prepare for, retreats, seminars, on-line classes, various website support issues, not to mention the work that needs to be done on my house. This morning I decided I needed to talk to God about this, mostly because I'm tired of being anxious over all that is not getting done.
More than just figuring out what to do in a given day, I wanted to know from God more about how to go about getting a better sense of His guidance. If I can get a better grip on how to proceed, it seems like the what should take care of itself. Initially, I felt led to some very practical steps I can take to better organize my agendas and projects, so I will be able to tell what needs to be done in what order. But my heart was not satisfied. I wanted something more.
It was then that I realized how much of this I was trying to manage under my own power, relying on my ability to lay out projects on paper and schedule the necessary steps to complete a task. And in attempting to master the whole pile at once, I was overwhelming my nervous system with a burden I was not meant to bear. My God wants me to slow down and talk to Him about each item on the list, one at a time, so I can see more of what He sees, so that I know more about what is more important and what is less important. And then came the final revelation…
What a wonderful problem to have — too many ways to give away life!! This is where I need to begin every day. Not in anxiety over too much to do, but in joy, rejoicing over all the wonderful ways God has laid before me to be involved in His Life here, His Kingdom here. These tasks are not burdens, they are gifts!
I think it's the first time I have ever laughed about having so much to do. 😉