“If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel will save it. For what benefit is it for a person to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:34-36)
This morning I got up and began to look at my schedule. I am leaving this afternoon at 3:00pm to attend The New Room Conference for 3 days. I began thinking of all the things I needed to get done before I leave and the things I need to get lined up before I leave. As I was looking all this over, I began to feel anxious, my stomach tightened, the wheels in my mind began to turn as it started to put in place the “hows” and “whens” of my week. I can become over whelmed when we look at the challenges, struggles, tasks, appointments, and choices facing us when we wake up in the morning. All this, all of these things diminish, my stomach stops churning and my head stops spinning when I breath and remember that there is only one priority today. There is only thing I really need to do today. And that is to follow Jesus.
When I let my life challenges become my focus, I become the choking person in Jesus’ parable. “The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.” (Mark 13:22)
When I remember that all I have to do is follow Jesus and pray that over myself and make priorities that align my day and my heart to simply following Jesus, I experience peace, that peace that passes all understanding. I can hear Jesus speaking “Be Still” and the calming of the storms in my life. And I remember as psalm 23 speaks over me, that “Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for Jesus you are with me;” and Jesus restores my soul.
My family, I pray as you walk out your door and enter into the challenges of the week and all that is on your schedule, you take a minute to breath and remember that there is only one thing you need to do, one thing you need to priorities, and that is following Jesus, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
As i mentioned above, I will be attending The New Room Conference in Montgomery, Al Wednesday-Friday. So this will be my last post this week. Please pray over my time as I go to spend time to be renewed in Christ.
Please share your thoughts and reflections in the comment box below.
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