IS YOUR TO-DO LIST TOO LONG?
If you’re like me, you try to cram too many things in a day and stress out when interruptions happen. But we can be at peace when we slow down and make time for Him. Let’s do it!
Eternal Perspectives by Sally Bair
Knowing Our Limits
When my puppy was very young, she played hard and then lay down for a nap, falling asleep in an instant. She knew her physical limits. Babies are the same way. They fall asleep at a drop of milk—anywhere, anytime, anyway. But many toddlers fight sleep because they want to get as many moments out of life as they can. As a teenager, I did the same thing. I fought sleep. I wanted to hear and see what went on around me, not missing a moment.
Some adults, especially those with children, careers, and other responsibilities follow the same pattern—although with different motives. Now their time is taken up with raising kids, climbing the ladder of success, and filling the rest of their moments with fun, charity work, or maintaining the things they keep accumulating.
It’s easy to burden ourselves with too many chores and responsibilities. And as we grow older, we tend to try even harder to accomplish all that we want.
The Supermom syndrome is an illusion. No one person can do it all alone. Even Jesus couldn’t do it all. That’s why He chose twelve men to help Him. In Mark 3:14 we are told that: “(Jesus) appointed twelve—designating them apostles—that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” After He had sent them out to do His work, they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. He then took them to a quiet place for rest.
We too can seek help when we become overwhelmed and stressed. And above all, we can turn to God for help. Through prayer and Bible reading, we can find peace of mind and heart as well as the answers we need to accomplish what we must and to determine what our priorities should be. Hudson Taylor, the famous 19th-century missionary to China, once said: “It doesn’t matter what the pressure is. What matters is if we let that pressure come between us and God, or draw us closer to His heart.”
Lord, help us to realize what our limits are so we not only can serve you better but live a less stressful, more peaceful life. We thank You for Your true promises and that we can rely on You above all else for the help we need. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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