Cheri Strange, Christian Speaker and Author

Recently I accompanied my husband to a business conference. While he attended his meetings, I lounged by the pool along with about thirty other strangers reading a book and taking an occasional dip in the water. One day, to my horror, after sitting down there for hours, walking through the hotel lobby past a multitude of wealthy business people, and riding up the elevator to the top floor, I walked in my room to see my mascara drooping down both sides of my face about half way down my nose! I looked terrible! And no one had been bold enough to make me aware of my predicament or assist me in fixing my problem.

Sometimes I find myself in a similar situation spiritually. I go along in life when suddenly, I catch a glimpse of who I am and what I’m doing, running ragged, and recognize that I am just a mess. I need God to make me aware of His purposes for me and His priorities for my days; and help me get back on the right track. When this happens, I do the following:

1. 1.The first thing I do is remember Matthew 6:33:

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

This verse comes right after Jesus tells us not to worry or get bogged down in the responsibilities of living so that these keep us from what’s really important: Him.

What does this look like on a daily basis in my life? I get up early and spend a few minutes on my knees in prayer. I also read a One Year Bible. It takes 15 minutes. Any Scripture that seems to leap out on the page about something I need or that I am going through, I jot it down in a notebook. These things must come first. If I can’t do it first thing in the morning, my rule is that God gets the first “free” moments of my day – those moments when I can choose to do housework, get on fb, run to Wal-Mart, or text a friend. I might still need to do those things – but not before I seek Him.

1. 2.Secondly, I lay my daily responsibilities out before Him, asking Him to help me discern what must stay and what needs to go.

Beth Moore has said, “We cannot do a thousand things to the glory of God!” She’s absolutely correct. We can’t. There might be really good things we enjoy that we need to step away from because we’re exhausted. There might be an organization or some responsibility at church that might need to be done by someone else. I don’t know. I’m not smart enough to figure it all out for my own life, much less yours. That’s why I lay it before the throne. He is smart enough. And when we ask Him, He always answers.

What about seasons of life when we have absolutely nothing we can streamline or get rid of? What if God has called you to do a thousand things to His glory right now?

1. 3.Thirdly, if God has called me to do a thousand things for His glory --- then He is capable of getting me through them victoriously. If I know I am seeking Him first--if I have discerned the bare essentials of how that plays out in my life and there is still more “To Do…” at the end of the day, then He is obligated to see me through in victory. I may not get it all done at the end of the day, but I trust Him that what He needed me to get done, got done – for His Kingdom purposes, not simply my need to mark everything off my list.

1. 4.Finally, I keep this truth in mind: God never wants me walking through life as if I had mascara dripping down my face. He is always for me and loves me enough to point out my smudges and help me fix them. He will do the same for you.