His Day, His Plan

It was hard to get up this morning.  It's been hard to get up many mornings.  But, we did it anyway.  As I looked at my full to-do list for today specifically and then at the number of things that need to be done soon whether they fit specifically into the daily schedule or not, I wondered once again how in the world I would be able to rise and meet the demands of the day.  Of the week.  Of the preparation for next month. 

And then there was a gentle nudging.  A reminder that the days are not mine.  They are God's. 

At first I asked the Lord to put aside my plans and put in place His own.  Then I realized why it was that I phrased it that way - put aside.  I still wanted to keep my plans intact.  I wanted to hang on to them.  I wanted to make sure they were in the background so that I could always come back to them if I finished His plans first.  Ludicrous, I know, but true nonetheless.

So, I rephrased.  I asked Him to throw out my plans and replace them with His own.  Totally and completely.

Shortly after that, He began to impress upon me the ways I needed to refocus the day.  And within a short time, He revealed to me that my well-laid plans would have been wrenched from my control had I not surrendered them willingly. 

I do go through phases where this is the way I start my days - surrendering to Him.  But, somehow, I never do it with enough consistency to form a habit.  My challenge is to avoid being sporadic.  I hunger to make every day a submission to Him.  If the things on my to-do list really need to be done, He will make a way to get them done.  Otherwise, they're not really all that important anyway.  And, if I would seek Him before I make that to-do list, I might not even be distracted by what I think must be done!  Oh, may I make daily submission to His plan my permanent mindset!