A Wave Tossed by the Wind

At the beginning of the Summer, I planned out goals for each month, and then, life happened. I’ve heard it said that we make plans, and God laughs. What I have finally learned is that I can’t accomplish much work in the month of July. Unfortunately, when I haven’t marked everything off my to-do list, I feel guilty. How about you? It’s not that I haven’t completed many things. It’s that I haven’t completed ALL the tasks that I put on myself. As I feel the burden of my list getting longer, I struggle to find peace, and I bounce from one thing to the next without making very much progress with anything.

For example, this morning, I took my son to his first day of school, leaving me with the entire day to work through my list. I love to make lists, and I absolutely believe in putting things on my list that I’ve either almost finished or will only take a second to finish. It feels so good to draw a line through anything. (Okay, I confess. I even put items on my list that I’ve already done that day. Don’t shake your head. I know I’m not the only one.)

This year my children are attending three different schools. One is private while the other two are public, and two of the schools are new to our family. I have been to orientations, joined Facebook groups, read too many emails to count, and studied school handbooks. At this point, it has all become a blur, so I set out to get it all under control. Ha, ha. Before I knew it, I was creating a list for next week with two calendars open in front of me, Amazon opened on my computer, and a stack of forms to read and sign stacked on the table. I tried to focus on one thing at a time. But then, something would pop into my head, or a notification would chime on my phone, and I’d flip to a different thing. I could feel my heart rate picking up as the minutes disappeared. How would I finish everything and find the solitude to write this message? Have you been there?

I could hear Jesus whispering, “Come to me, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me … for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” But I think some part of me was afraid if I stopped working, the items on the list would just keep multiplying, building into a giant wave that would eventually crash over me.

Now as I sit in my car at my son’s soccer practice at eight-fifteen at night, I realize the difference a few minutes in prayer and quiet would have made. Sure, the tasks would still have existed and most would still need to be completed, but I certainly would have had a change of perspective.

I often joke that I’m a recovering control freak, but in these times, I know that desire to control is rooted in a lack of faith. When I ask God for help and only try to do what he sets before me, I don’t feel overwhelmed, and I always have enough time. I wish I had remembered this verse this morning. I know my day would have been different, but maybe it will help you with your to-do list.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

Are you being tossed by the wind? Ask God for wisdom and then believe that he will provide. Listen and rest in the knowledge that what God wants done will find a way and everything else will be washed away by the waves.