ForgottenWoman

The Most Important Thing –

Life’s been busy. My list of projects to support and work on is long. I’ve been “doing” nonstop since the new year began and basically skipped my normal setting of goals and focusing. When I awoke this morning, I realized how down and out of sorts I felt. Checking my heart and asking the Lord to search my heart is always my first recourse when I feel this way. My conclusion? It’s not that I’ve committed any great sin – but it is that I’ve allowed myself to get so distracted and busy with life that I’ve neglected the most important thing: taking care of the little things/hurts that are just a part of normal life.

These things pile up and create a weight within our hearts that must be dealt with in order to walk through our days with the joy of the Lord; ready to handle any new obstacles and hurts that come along.

It’s not that I don’t know how important renewing my mind is – I’ve written and taught on this repeatedly! It’s not that I don’t know how important abiding in Christ is! - Again, I’ve written on it and taught on it repeatedly! What is it about walking through this life? We so often know what we ought to do, know what is right and yet… It makes me sad to think of the hours I’ve wasted that I could have been doing the very things that draw me closer to my Savior; that make me look and think more like Him! 

A few minutes after realizing how low I felt, I walked into my kitchen and saw my sink filled with yesterday’s dirty dishes. Yeah, I was busy all day yesterday and last night and just turned off the light instead of dealing with the “small messes” of the day. This seemed the perfect picture of what was going on in my heart this morning. Taking the time to focus on these dirty dishes that have created an ugly pile in my sink is a priority this morning. Taking time to focus on the pile of undealt with “life” within my spirit is also a priority this morning!

Renewing my mind. Hunkering down under the shadow of His wing is a must! I’m getting my focus back today – abiding in Him is the only way I want to try to tackle 2024! *Better 15 days late than never, right?

So, exactly what is changing today? For one, I’m in reset mode. The next 15 days will be spent in dedicated and focused prayer and fasting. Fasting from the entertainment that works to make my mind think on things that are not true, pure, honest, of good report! Fasting from the foods that are toxic to my body! Fasting from activities that are harmful instead of healing for my body and soul. It’s not an effort to be “more spiritual!” It’s an effort to clear my heart, mind and body of the things that build up and make foggy what I want to be clear! It’s an effort to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct my thinking and yes – make me more suitable to do the very projects that have kept me so busy! Martha didn’t choose a wrong thing, when she chose to be busy about the work, but Mary chose the better thing: sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from and worshiping Him. Both are good things – but the Mary choice is a prerequisite to the Martha choice. I’m choosing today to start 2024 again – two weeks late but with the decision to do the most important thing before I attempt to do the good thing.