Do you have a ‘what’s next’ attitude? About 4/5 the way through the current activity/project, do you begin wondering what is just around the corner? Not that you are necessarily finished where you are or expectantly looking for your ‘next’, but you are beginning your process. This attitude can really relate to just about anything that you are doing. Maybe it’s not a restlessness to get on where you are so you can go to your ‘next’… but is this hovering around?
Personally… I think there are advantages and disadvantages to this mindset – because, let’s face it, it occurs more often than it doesn’t. I think I’ve learned to harness this until the current really is finished, not so sure. I’m one of those planners, organizers so before I go into ‘next’ I need (not just want) to be sure that I’ve dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s on the ‘now’ first. Because then I can happily move on and begin the prep work for ‘next’.
But……. what if you have no sense of ‘next’, you have no plan, no project, no nothing on the agenda??? How do you handle this? For me, not so well. And this means that I sometimes miss my regroup and refresh times. You do realize that the Father ALWAYS makes time for these times but it is we who have to act on them.? He does. As an obvious example, remember Jesus always took time to spend time with the Father? He did. And that’s why we aren’t rushing from one thing to another…. or least we shouldn’t be.
Do you realize just how important our ‘down’ times are? Part of it is to regroup, to catch our breath, to decompress, to turn to the Lord and discover what He’s trying to teach us, pray, breathe in and breathe out. If Jesus took time for these times so should we because they are the rich times. Those who have been brought up in the old hymns… remember “Take Time to be Holy”? Look at the words. They tell us what is important.
In all of our running around, and many times it’s to be/do what we think the Lord is calling us to be/do…take time. Yes – prepare, plan, organize, and stop. Ephesians 2:10 tells us
“For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to beused] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” AMP
Whose workmanship? Created how? For what reason? And the result? Exactly. Read the words don’t just skim them. They are for US! There’s another important verse to remember which talks about abiding…
“Live in me. Make your home in Me just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with Me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with Me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from Me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with Me and My words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how My Father shows who He is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.”
[John 15:4-8 MSG]These 2 scriptures say it all. No. not ignore your ‘next’ but stop long enough to know if there is a time set aside before the next.
