We're all probably guilty of allowing something small become big enough to get in our way by ruining our mood/day or causing us to put other things to the back burner. Waking up late isn't that big of a deal but we may allow it to have some major impacts on the day. We could deal with it and understand that this is the situation and not allow things to be affected by it. I could write several examples of areas where we allow the little things to grow to sizes they shouldn't become close to growing.
Life tends to be filled up with lots of little things: daily duties, new duties, unexpected twists. With those little things that fill us up we may lose focus on the "one thing" that Jesus spoke of when He was in a teachable moment with Martha and Mary.
As life hands us things that "pack on the weight", we need to think about how we can shed some of that extra poundage so that we will live a healthier life for Him. One way to think about that is to understand that we tend to prioritize things that are not much of a priority. Therefore, we need to unprioritize the priorities. Yesterday, we discussed that, leaping off from Habakkuk 3:17-18. Here are some applications you can choose to use this week...
- Make a List (literally or figuratively) ~ Over the next week you may want to make a list of the different areas in which you tend to give your attention to. Think about those areas and see if they are important - really important. Are some of them taking you or your attention away from the things that are actual priorities? If so, put your priorities first and the one of less priority after.
- Accountability ~ Grab someone to be your partner to make sure that you are following up on your newly found habit.
- Rejoice in the Lord ~ Take time to count your blessings. This is helpful all the time, but when life doesn't seem to be going well for you, realizing your blessings can make a big difference.
- Praise God ~ Thank Him for the things you like in your life. However, do not limit it to that. You may want to praise Him for the areas you don't realize are worth praising about. Praise Him for all the little things - name some of them. Praise Him for bigger things by naming some of them, too. Praising Him humbles us and encourages us.
- Don't Worry...Be Happy ~ Easier said than done, that's for sure. If you're like me you worry or analyze things that shouldn't. Those habits weigh you down. I can't even think to imagine how many things I have forgotten to do because I was worrying about something else. It is really frustrating, which doesn't make one happy. So, try to reduce your "caloric intake" of worry, so that you will have room to concentrate.
As the week progresses keep in mind the little things that are collecting on your plate. Are they beginning to weigh you down? There may be nothing wrong with these things. You don't necessarily have to avoid them, just be disciplined enough to put them to the bottom of your list, so they do not cloud with the most important. Some of these "least important" may be what you are carrying around with you continually, just like fat on a body. Do you put more emphasis on your job or your friends than you do your family? Do you rush to the phone the moment a text message comes in, even if it is conflicting with other events going on at that time (time with family, school, job, etc.), not realizing that the message isn't that urgent, generally.
Have a great week shedding the calories of "unpriority priorities" and "ME" (from last week).
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