Has Done List
Hey Girls! It's pretty much bedtime for me here, but I just couldn't go to bed without writing to you all tonight. You've been on my heart all day. Who you ask? Well....all of you. And though it's twelve hours later than when I originally tried to write to you, I am still just as excited as I was this morning.
As you read yesterday, I've had my share of ups and downs as I try to "figure out" what the Lord has planned for me. "Figure out". Isn't that funny? When I write it down like that it is so obvious where the problem was. The problem was in me feeling like I had to have it all figured out. The Master Plan......revealed......all on the first day of school.
There have been a lot of little lessons learned in my identity crisis. One of those lessons I want to share with you tonight. It helped me on a day that I felt myself getting a little anxious that maybe there wasn't a Master Plan for me.....maybe I was simply a delusional, self inflated, dreamer (yeah, the devil had some fun with me...but look whose testifying now)!
In the midst of one of my doubt filled moments, I was drawn to my HomeMakers folder. I decided to pull out the homework and look up the verses for the week. Getting my thoughts off of myself and on to the Lord was exactly what I needed. I looked up the first verse. It was Psalm 77:7-12 in the New Living Translation. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? And I said, "this is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me." I felt like I was reading my own thoughts right there in those verses! As much as I knew that these words were not true, I knew exactly how the author felt at the time he wrote them. And it was nice to know I am not the only one who feels like a whineball when the answers seem to take just a little to long to come!
Then I read the next verse. The thing about many of the Psalms is that they often start out all dramatic and hopeless sounding. They paint a perfect picture of someone in deep despair, feeling lost and rejected. Just when you are about to grab your kleenex and shed a tear for the authors pain they suddenly turn it around. It is as if in the midst of their meltdown they have an "oh wait....what about this...." moment. That was the case in here: But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
There it was, the change of heart. In the midst of trial and tribulation the author remembered everything the Lord has done for them in the past. Meditating on all of the wonderful works the Lord had done for them in the past, gave him the confidence that the Lord is and will always do wonderful things for his children. the blessings of the past gave him hope for the future.
So I took out a piece of paper and I gave myself seven minutes to write down as many wonderful deeds the Lord has done for me in the past. Needless to say, my page was filled and I had just barely begun my list. I tucked that list in the back of my folder. Whenever I feel a little doubt creep in I go to my list. It is a reminder of God's unfailing, never-ending, love, goodness, and grace. It gives me a renewed confidence and hope for the future. It calms and reassures me.
So Girls, before writing out your "To Do List" for today, take a moment and write out a "Has Done List". Write down all the wonderful deeds the Lord has done for you in the past. I promise it will help carry you through your next moment of doubt. Just a hint though, make sure you give yourself a time limit, or you could be writing for days!
Psalm 77:12 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
Love, peace, and long has done lists to you all,
Jen
As you read yesterday, I've had my share of ups and downs as I try to "figure out" what the Lord has planned for me. "Figure out". Isn't that funny? When I write it down like that it is so obvious where the problem was. The problem was in me feeling like I had to have it all figured out. The Master Plan......revealed......all on the first day of school.
There have been a lot of little lessons learned in my identity crisis. One of those lessons I want to share with you tonight. It helped me on a day that I felt myself getting a little anxious that maybe there wasn't a Master Plan for me.....maybe I was simply a delusional, self inflated, dreamer (yeah, the devil had some fun with me...but look whose testifying now)!
In the midst of one of my doubt filled moments, I was drawn to my HomeMakers folder. I decided to pull out the homework and look up the verses for the week. Getting my thoughts off of myself and on to the Lord was exactly what I needed. I looked up the first verse. It was Psalm 77:7-12 in the New Living Translation. Has the Lord rejected me forever? Will he never again be kind to me? Is his unfailing love gone forever? Have his promises permanently failed? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he slammed the door on his compassion? And I said, "this is my fate; the Most High has turned his hand against me." I felt like I was reading my own thoughts right there in those verses! As much as I knew that these words were not true, I knew exactly how the author felt at the time he wrote them. And it was nice to know I am not the only one who feels like a whineball when the answers seem to take just a little to long to come!
Then I read the next verse. The thing about many of the Psalms is that they often start out all dramatic and hopeless sounding. They paint a perfect picture of someone in deep despair, feeling lost and rejected. Just when you are about to grab your kleenex and shed a tear for the authors pain they suddenly turn it around. It is as if in the midst of their meltdown they have an "oh wait....what about this...." moment. That was the case in here: But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
There it was, the change of heart. In the midst of trial and tribulation the author remembered everything the Lord has done for them in the past. Meditating on all of the wonderful works the Lord had done for them in the past, gave him the confidence that the Lord is and will always do wonderful things for his children. the blessings of the past gave him hope for the future.
So I took out a piece of paper and I gave myself seven minutes to write down as many wonderful deeds the Lord has done for me in the past. Needless to say, my page was filled and I had just barely begun my list. I tucked that list in the back of my folder. Whenever I feel a little doubt creep in I go to my list. It is a reminder of God's unfailing, never-ending, love, goodness, and grace. It gives me a renewed confidence and hope for the future. It calms and reassures me.
So Girls, before writing out your "To Do List" for today, take a moment and write out a "Has Done List". Write down all the wonderful deeds the Lord has done for you in the past. I promise it will help carry you through your next moment of doubt. Just a hint though, make sure you give yourself a time limit, or you could be writing for days!
Psalm 77:12 But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago. They are constantly in my thoughts, I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.
Love, peace, and long has done lists to you all,
Jen
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