A Time for Everything

My favorite devotional book for the past year has been Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I first ran across it a few years ago in a coffee shop owned by a friend of ours (which is, sadly, now closed), and it intrigued me immediately. It is written from the perspective of Jesus talking directly to us. What really surprised me is how similar it sounded to the way I hear Jesus talking to me during my quiet times. It seems that Sarah Young and I talk to the same person! (Imagine that!) After waiting a long time (and giving copies to others), I finally obtained a copy that I kept and began to enjoy for myself.

Here is one of my favorite themes from the book:

"Stop trying to work things out before their times have come. Accept the limitations of living one day at a time. When something comes to your attention, ask Me whether or not it is part of today's agenda. If it isn't, release it into My care and go on about today's duties. When you follow this practice, there will be a beautiful simplicity about your life: a time for everything and everything in its time" (Jesus Calling, entry for March 29).

"For everything there is a season,

a right time for every intention under heaven" 

(Ecclesiastes 3:1).

As a new year begins, it is good to revisit this truth. It is the only way I know of to keep from going crazy when the demands and pressures of life press down. There is always far more to do than I have time to do. But God "has given us everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Therefore, if I have more on my agenda than I can accomplish today in God's strength and peace, then I am trying to do more than He has asked of me. I will put it in His hands and trust that He will provide another time for it -- or else it isn't really necessary anyway. It helps me to list out the specific tasks and projects on my mind, ask Him about each one, and release them into His hands. Then I choose to trust Him to give me the ability to accomplish what He has for me that day and to let go of what needs to wait.

I thank You, Father, for the things you will enable me to accomplish today. I thank you also for those that will not get done, for You hold them securely in Your hands. I trust You to make them possible at the right time.