Arranging Your Life
February 1, 2010
Whether we realize it or not, many of us spend our lives as orchestra conductors. We try our hardest to make all these random pieces of life come together to make beautiful, balanced music. Yet, before we know it, the percussion misses its queue by coming in to soon, and we quickly realize they cant keep a beat. Their rhythm is off, and it causes all the other instruments to speed up: dance recital for your daughter, big proposal for the new client, picking your son up from football practice, quality time with your wife, bills that need to be paid, chores around the house, etc.
Rather than living life intentionally, most people end up responding to whatever comes their way just hoping to survive. Our lives are filled with what amounts to be distractions simply because everything else is allowed priority in our lives. We raise our kids, run our businesses and go through our lives holding our breath, crossing our fingers and hoping that somehow in the busyness of it all we will grow into reflecting Christs heart. This simply will not happen by chance.
It has been said that your life is perfectly designed to produce the results you are getting. Like a well-oiled machine it achieves the characteristics and qualities you value. The way you orchestrate your life not only reflects what is important to you, but also shapes you into the person you are becoming. It makes sense that without any modifications to the status quo that the results at the end of the year will remain the same.
The question you must ask yourself is whether or not you are satisfied with the results that you are currently achieving? If the answer is no, then it might be time to do some life rearranging. The natural, normal pace of life wont push you to spiritual formation. You will have to be intentional about creating margins for God to transform you through the lens of your one word.
The author of Psalm 119:5 knew that our natural direction was not towards God, which caused him to pray, Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! This is a prayer yearning for God to help influence the direction of his life by being intentional with the days he was given. Today is the day the Lord has given to you. What are you going to do with what you have been given pursuing wisdom and arranging your life for growth or letting life direct your steps towards busyness? The choice is yours.
During the month of February, the My One Word blog will be devoted to this idea of arranging your life to grow. In order for life change to take root, it requires you to be intentional about your posture and the way you structure your days. The first step in this process is understanding where your priorities currently lay.
Questions for Reflection
- Who appears to be winning the battle: the natural pace of life or your determination to arrange your life for God to move?
- Over the upcoming week, write out in detail how you spent each day in a planner (sleep, school/work, family, hobbies, television, volunteering, etc.). After coming to some conclusions about what you devote your time and energy towards, spend some time journaling your reflections on the following questions: (1) What currently composes and consumes your schedule, world and life? Is your One Word getting pushed to the side even though you say it is a priority? (2) In order to make your One Word form into your character, what will a typical day need to look like?
Are you looking for a way to keep your word in front of you all year long? Register for a My One Word account! One of the key features of a MOW account is an online Word Journal that allows you to capture your thoughts to reflective questions like you see above. You can go back at any time to read your completed journals to see how God has been moving in your life through your word in 2010. If you already have an account, the questions from this blog have been posted to your Word Journal — log in to your account to start your Word Journal today!
This blog really spoke to me. As I seek his direction, I need to learn not to choose my own path. I need to have that balance but it needs to be spiritual driven not self driven. My word is DIRECTION and I am so excited to let God show me his way!!!!
This really spoke to me today. I feel like I am a time waster. I need to set my priorities on what really matters! Thank you. 🙂
This blog gave me much to think about. It is so easy to get caught up in daily living that we push our savior and prayer time to the side. Since my word is obedient I must learn to follow God’s promptings in my daily living.
Wow! (as I shake my head in amazement) I felt like this blog was written for me. How many times do I fool myself into thinking that each step I take is guided by him….daily I’m living my life by what is coming my way, dealing with work, household, life in general….Lord help me to slow down my pace, help me to “steward” my days and nights and let you guide me in everything I do.
I’m a very busy new mom, and I’m in the military to boot! This will be very difficult for me to follow at first, but I think that by the grace of God, I’ll get this done. Sounds like fun, though…
This blog reminded me of how scattered I have let my life become, with my business running me. I really feel empowered by this wonderful series to help me get back into the “Miracle Conciousness” that I have experienced all of my life when I have made God the priorty. It’s amazing how everything you need will just show up if you spend some quiet time daily with God. I’m back on track now.
All that I can say is that I am thankful for this blog and the journaling. It has helped. LOVE IT!!
It seems like I do worse than “responding”. A more accurate word for me is “reacting”. At least responding is like fleshing out. It is definitely true that the successful Christian life is actually a life of willful choices, responding to the nature of the One true biblical God.
Something I wrote recently on this subject:
“Rebound”
As my heart breaks for me,
let it break for those with less.
With compassion, let me see,
as I have let me bless.
Those in fear let me love
for Your love abounds.
With the gentleness of a dove
let me show how wisdom sounds.
In Your strength Ill uphold
those so weakened by this life.
Ill comfort those faint and feeling cold.
It is hardly a sacrifice.
I will have my own reward,
for Im blessed to give.
Just be glorified, Jesus Lord.
You have made me live.
© Robert B., 1-29-10
My days go best when I begin them in the Word. The past two days, I have let that slip, moving on to the many demands of the day. Why would I leap frog over the most important time with the most important Person in my life?? Maybe there’s something He wants to tell me that I don’t want to hear?? I won’t know till I sit down with Him and truly listen. Whatever He has to say will be for my ultimate good, and to glorify Him, so what’s the worry, really.
[…] Purpose – my one word for 2010 February 6, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized — Laurie @ 12:41 pm http://myoneword.org/old/homework/februarys-topic-arranging-your-life/ […]
Its as if my life is as much an open book for the blog author as it is to God. 47 years , most spent reacting instead of living with purpose and intent. My word – UNDERSTANDING, and that only scratches the surface, the hardest part seems to be still and patient and to just let God….
Just getting started on the blogs and realize, after reading this one, how God is working to really impress upon my heart and mind how important my word, VISION, is to me. I’m guilty of living with the Someday Syndrome – “someday” when the kids are in school/out of school…, “someday” when I find the perfect job…, “someday” when I have all the money I think I need…, etc. I don’t want to continue living my life in the “victim” mode and must truly listen to and trust God with His vision of my life and get to work! Thanks for the inspiring and understanding blog.
I lead a very busy life and I’m starting this a little late in the process. So I am writing this after reading the assignment for this week. I already see that I will have some work to do at the end of the week. My word is FAITH. Faith that I will do what God requires of me, that I will follow through and that I will not cause other people to stumble, what a concept. I already know that I have to follow my and set my boundaries so that I will do all things by faith. I will let my heart see what God had determined for me and follow through.
First I would like to say Thank you GOD for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of a unique body of communication. I read all of these wonderful blogs and I too have realized that my life is out of sorts with GOD. My one word is GIVING- giving is not neccessary money. Giving is a way of communicating, time sharing, comfort for those in need, fullfilling the needs of someone else.
If all of us take the time to study GODS word then we will no that we are to cheerful givers and don’t give in vain.