Jesus- A Morning Essential

It was Monday morning, and I sat on my couch with coffee in hand.  I sat staring at the toys thrown everywhere, and the busyness of the week ahead overwhelmed me.  I hadn’t even caught up from the week before, or the week before that.  I began to wish that I could crawl in my bed, go back to sleep, and somehow my to-do list would magically get done.

Just when I was about to slip into thoughts of stress and ungratefulness, I felt the still, small voice of the Lord ask me, “Have you checked in with Me yet this morning?”

Ouch.  Honestly, my answer was no.  I have a routine of spending time in the Bible and prayer during the boys’ nap time, but that Monday morning, the Lord gently reminded me that I need to check in with Him each morning too, and not just wait until nap time to speak with Him.

The Lord was so sweet to convict and encourage me in those few moments on my couch that Monday.  Isaac was bouncing in his bouncy and Hunter was watching the same episode of “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” that he’s already seen 1000 times, but Jesus was working on my heart.  He showed me that I had been trying to do things on my own strength, and then He reminded me that I can’t do anything if I’m relying on myself.  When the Lord revealed to me that I had been trying to do life in my own strength, it was a convicting revelation, but it was also a freeing one.  I had been doing things on my own strength, and it was leading me to feel anxious and overwhelmed, but to know that the pressure was off of me to do things “all by myself” (as Hunter likes to say!) was so freeing.

The Lord also reminded me that I need to let each day worry about itself.  The Lord is so sweet to give us the exact amount of grace and strength that we need to face whatever He has for us each day (Matthew 6:25-34).  We start running on empty if we start trying to use today’s grace for tomorrow’s problems.  I was wasting time and energy worrying about things that just didn’t need to be worried about yet.

That Monday turned out to be pretty sweet thanks to those few minutes on the couch with Jesus.  Where are you in life today, friend?  Is your to-do list overwhelming you?  Guess what, friend?  You can’t do this life in your own strength.  Let that truth set you free; take the pressure off of yourself.  Each morning, as you pour your cup of coffee, just spend a few minutes with Jesus.  Here are a few of the things that I’m beginning to pray each morning (and yall, talking with Jesus doesn’t have to be this over complicated thing.  We can do this as we make our coffee, nurse our babies, grab breakfast for the toddler, wash our faces, etc.  Isn’t that awesome!?):

• “Lord, give me Your strength today.”  Like I said, I spent the first part of 2017 trying to be the best wife, mom, etc. in my own strength, and it was exhausting.  The Lord is strong and mighty.  Rest in His strength because we simply cannot do this life on our own.
• “Lord, let Your priorities be my priorities.”  What does your to-do list look like?  If it’s like mine, it’s never ending, and that can be so overwhelming. Asking the Lord what He wants me to do that day has been a game changer.  It’s helped me take the pressure off of myself to be super mom/super wife and to not beat myself up when I don’t complete my to do list each day.
• “Lord, use me how You want to use me.”  This prayer is similar to the one above.  We often times have a clear vision in mind of how our days are going to go, and when something changes, it throws us off big time.  Have you ever thought that the Lord just might have had something different in mind?  That He wanted to use you in a way that maybe you hadn’t thought of that day?  Be open to how He wants to use you, and let Him direct your day accordingly.
• “Lord, don’t let me use up today’s grace on tomorrow’s problems.”  Ask the Lord to help you not to worry and to focus on what He has right in front of you that day.

I’ve been trying to do this in the mornings, and let me tell you, it’s making a difference.  I have still slipped up and failed more times than I can count, and the Lord has had to give me a nudge to speak to Him a few mornings, but He is so good to extend His grace to me when I fail.  My days have still been crazy and my to-do list is still there, but there’s been something so peaceful about relying on the Lord and trying to live out each moment of my day as He would have me to.  Friends, I encourage you to try this!  If/when you do, please share how being intentional with Jesus in the mornings is changing your days and your walk with Him!