Mornings: Refocus

I used to think my problem was only that I wasn't a morning person. I would love to get up about ten in the morning and not go to bed until around two. There are very few careers that actually works with and homemaking/mothering is certainly not one of them. (Unless, of course, you don't teach your children to go to bed or you let them run around on their own for hours, but I digress.) Regardless of how focused I am on my priorities at the end of the day I lose it during the night. My first mornings thoughts aren't God's plan for my life or how I can best honor Him. 

photo courtesy of stuart miles/freedigitalphotos.net

The real problem is that I'm a sinner. My flesh is inclined to do what it wants to instead of what God wants. The most important thing for me to do each morning is to lose myself in Jesus. 

That's why my first morning point is "Refocus." Focus (again!) on what God says about life. I need remind myself of God's plan.  I have to fight my flesh every day. You do too.  None of us are exempt from the pull of the flesh and I have to fight it first thing before it takes a deep hold on my day. 

Now if I were to wake up and immediately start reading most days I would immediately be sleeping again. That would defeat the purpose. So I go fix my hair and put on some makeup first. That gives me enough time to wake up and even pray some. Then I come back to my Bible. 

I need to soak in God's will for me. Learn more about Him. Learn more about who He wants me to be. 

I want to have a real relationship with God, therefore I need to spend time with Him. I've been working on talking to Jesus constantly through my day but I need this concentrated time in the morning where I can absorb His Word and not be distracted by the commotion of life. 

Refocusing Helps

1. Have a reading plan. Doesn't matter what it is; just have one. Go through the whole Bible; we need to be learning it all. Don't just flip it open and read anywhere for your everyday Bible reading. 

You've all heard the old joke about  a man who was searching for God's will for his life. So he decided to use the proven method of flipping open his Bible and putting his finger on a phrase or verse. 

The first one he found was Matt. 27:5" And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."

He didn't like that answer so he tried again and got "Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise." (Luke 10:37b) 

He decided to give it one more try and found, "Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly." (John 13:27b) 

God's will in black and white, people! 

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Ok, I won't tell jokes in my posts anymore. But I think you get the point.

2. Ask God to speak to your heart. Reading words isn't enough. The Bible is a book beyond our understanding and  yet God can reveal the truth at each person's level. 

Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.  Psalm 119:27

I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. Psalm 119:125

3. Know the "Why." I'm coming back to this over and over in life. Why am I getting up early(ish)? Why am I disciplining my children? Why am I reading my Bible? 

-Write down why it's important for you to read your Bible every day. 

-Keep a list of things you are learning. 

-Memorize Scripture about the benefits of being in the Bible. (See Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2-3 for starters.)

4. Just do it. Don't wait for it to be easy or comfortable. Don't wait until you "have time." Step out in obedience and watch God work in your life. 

Before I face my day and it's challenges, I need to be filled up with Jesus and that means emptied of me. So the first thing I do in the morning is refocus.  I need to see Jesus and line myself up with His Word.