Very often we know the things we ought to do.
It’s not that we need to read a book, consult a teacher or attend a seminar to find out. We already know many of the things we should be doing. We should spend less than we make, we should eat right, we should exercise, we should sleep well, we should say no to harmful and unhealthy things.
And yet, when it comes right down to it, many times we don’t do the things we already know we should be doing.
Much of this is because things are easier said than done.
Telling someone about the mountain you climbed last year is easier than climbing a new mountain today.
Telling someone else how they should handle a situation in their life is a lot easier than volunteering to handle their hardships for them.
We know that we should be more patient, but it seems like we just don’t have any more patience in our tanks.
We know we should be more generous but it seems impossible to pry our hands and hearts open to give more freely to others.
We know we need to stop indulging unhealthy things (spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc) but then we think, “maybe just one more” or “maybe I’ll start a new path tomorrow”.
Loving our neighbor (without even yet considering loving our enemy) seems impossible, when we are tired and busy and our neighbor is difficult.
So here is the practical advice that I need to hear myself:
- Start small
- Start today
- The hardest two steps are the first step and the one when it gets more difficult
- Find help from someone stronger, wiser and more capable
- Don’t do it alone
- Don’t be a perfectionist
- Stop trying to do so much
- Don’t let the distractions control you
- So go ahead and say something nice to that person.
- Go ahead and step outdoors and go for a walk. Maybe tomorrow another walk or a bike ride.
- Open the Bible and read one verse, then another, then another.
- Open your mouth and say you’re sorry, tell them you love them, compliment them, give them thanks.
- Tell God 10 things you are thankful for today. Find another 10 tomorrow.
- Do one small chore at home, then another
- Get rid of that clutter. Throw something away today. Give something away tomorrow.
- Give God your biggest 3 problems.
- Leave something on your plate at every meal. Add a fruit or veggie.
Doing what we were created to and called to is not possible without the One who created us and the One who calls us. God is present, He is able and He is willing to empower us, guide us and source us. We have to pray, we have to receive His instruction and we have to walk by faith (trusting that He is guiding us and that He is providing for us and protecting us along the way). To do what we know we need to takes effort and perseverance, but God offers to give us both. Let us pray fervently for God to cut out of our lives what doesn’t matter and graft in what does. And let us pray that we will obey in faith even if it seems impossible or that we are too weak, too foolish or too poor to be able to do it. He is able and He will do it!
This article is still a bit reductionist. It’s just not as easy as I am making it sound. But hopefully we will not get bogged down in it all and instead we will just pray, believe, receive and obey. Let’s keep it simple, do something today and persevere until God helps us to become what He is shaping us to be.
Pastor Michael Johnson 