Just for today.......

Good Morning…..

For the first time in a very long time, I am struggling to find words to describe the thoughts swirling around in my head. It’s rare that I am left ‘speechless’ but someone gave me an incredibly kind and generous gift yesterday for no particular reason. I haven’t known thoughtfulness like this before and I am still shaking my head this morning as I try to process the surprise gesture. Perhaps at some time I will share more about it, but for now, I just have to say I am overwhelmed in a good way and leave it at that. In time I will come to understand how it all fits into God’s plan for my life, but for now, I am grateful and humbled beyond words. We sometimes find ourselves overwhelmed with blessings, as well as difficulties, and we find it hard to ‘figure it out” or understand it.  The good thing is that we don’t have to understand….we simply have to say “Thank You” and trust that God is in control. For me, however, it has always been much easier for me to give than to receive, but considering the unexpected blessings that seem to keep coming my way, perhaps…no not perhaps….but rather, God is trying to teach me that part of journey is not only to try to “be” a blessing to others, but also to humbly and graciously receive them as well.

Sometimes when we think about our journey we can become so overwhelmed by the task at hand and we don’t think it is even possible to reach our goal, so we just ‘do nothing.” This is especially true if you have a lot of weight to lose or are giving up a habit that has been part of your life for many years. I had a friend tell me recently that he has smoked for more than 60 years and he can’t imagine NOT smoking. It’s overwhelming for him to think he could possibly do something different after all these years, so he won’t even try to quit. Another person shared with me that she needs to lose more than 200 pounds. Once again, it’s an overwhelming number. It’s like standing at the bottom of a staircase that rises hundreds of yard into the sky. It’s too high and we cannot even imagine getting to the top, especially if we can’t even get to the first step or we’ve climbed a little way up before and came crashing down.  You can likely think of all sorts of things in life that seem overwhelming and you think it might be easier just to forget about trying.  The job is too big; the debt is too large; the road is too long…..and so forth.

Perhaps you’ve been hurt so deeply and you think you will NEVER be able to forgive that person and let it go. Perhaps you are in such a dark place or feel so lost that you don’t think you will ever find your way out. Maybe you are surrounded by people that are so content to be miserable and negative and you can’t imagine ANYTHING that could make them be more pleasant to be around. Perhaps you feel that your life is such a mess that you can’t imagine it being any different. It’s just too overwhelming to think about it…and so you do nothing to change it. It’s easier that way.

Today I want to remind you that we don’t have to do it all at once. You don’t have to worry about losing 50 or 100 or more pounds. You simply need to worry about the first five…then the next five. You don’t have to worry about how you are going to go the rest of your life without a cigarette or a drink. You simply need to get through the first hour…and then the next.  You don’t have to worry about how you are going to rebuild a relationship or get through Christmas without a loved one. You simply need to ask God to help you get through today….and tomorrow….and the next.

 I don’t have to worry about how I’m going to keep the weight off for the rest of my life or what the gift I received yesterday means for the future. I don’t have to worry about what God wants me to do with the rest of my life or how I’m going to write a book or whatever.  All I have to do is worry about TODAY…..how I am going to stay on track today; how I am going to remain strong today and resist temptation; how I am going to make a difference for someone TODAY; how I am going to use the gift of a new day for God’s glory….and so forth. In ‘due season’ all the other stuff will work out and I will come to see how God is working and what it all means. 

Today… I encourage you to focus only on TODAY…..Don’t become overwhelmed. I don’t have to understand why the person sent me such a wonderful gift yesterday today; I just need to take it one day at a time. You don’t have to be concerned about how far away your goal is or the enormity of the task at hand.  Keep in mind that true change happens one step….one day….one conversation…...one choice…..one meal….at a time. 

Make TODAY a good one….