UMC20230127 Fighting for your life
UMC20230127 - Fighting for your life¶
In 2022 one of my main goals was to conquer my to-do-list. I used to be a huge procrastinator and I would avoid work or social interactions for extended periods of time and then it would become this insurmountable mountain that would drive me into the ground and I would crash. So I spent last year visiting a psychologist regularly, speaking to friends and family and reading books on how to increase one's self-discipline and self-control all in an effort to conquer my to-do-list.
There is a quote from Annie Dillard that has really inspired me this year: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days." I have changed my thinking from "my to-do-list is a chain that weighs me down" to "my to-do-list is my life". So this year, I have been fighting for my life.
Why is this important? I love the theological idea of us being co-creators with God. As Christ followers we are builders of the Kingdom of God and what we do each day lays a single brick in the walls of this new Kingdom. What we do is important. Right from the seemingly insignificant tasks of grocery shopping or washing the dishes to the seemingly important tasks of goal setting or church work. So I have thought of conquering my to-do-list as the same thing as building the kingdom of God.
There are two prayers that have helped me in this process. These are prayers that I have prayed multiple times a day and they are used a lot by those in the AA programs. "Thy will be done" and "Lord, what do you want me to do now?"
Discipline is hard and I have failed a lot in this past year. But I have tried to surrender to the loving God who is a rock and guide. I have allowed God to discipline me. I hope this inspires you rather than demotivate you.
Love, Cliff