Getting It All Done (Excerpt from 31 Days of Encouragement – Miriam)

“I BROUGHT GLORY TO YOU HERE ON EARTH BY DOING EVERYTHING YOU TOLD ME TO DO.” John 17:4

Do you ever have those days when you feel like you just cannot get everything done that you set out to do that day? I often get to the end of my day and wonder where the time went. I get frustrated at only getting half of the things checked off of my “To Do” list.

Notice in our key verse that Jesus, when He was speaking to the Father, said He had done everything “you told me to do.” I led two of the women I disciple through a study called Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. In it she tells us that Jesus focused on God’s agenda and not His own. That statement really struck a cord with me. How often do I focus on my own agenda and not give a thought to the Lord’s? I get so distracted by what I want to do or what everyone else wants me to do, and then I get frustrated when I cannot get it all done.

The truth is that I have time in every day to do what God wants me to do. That’s why it’s so important for me to spend time with Him each day so I’ll know what He wants me to do. In Psalm 32:8 the Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” What an awesome promise!

You may be saying, “I spend time in God’s Word, but I don’t hear Him telling me what to do.” I’m not saying that you will get an audible answer from the Lord for your daily “To Do” list. Notice again in our key verse that Jesus says, “I brought glory to you here on earth.” Ultimately, our main purpose here on earth is to glorify God, so as long as what you are doing accomplishes that, you are doing God’s agenda. He will sovereignly guide us as we spend time in His Word.

Psalm 1:1-3 says it very well:

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.
But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;
day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.

I don’t believe this scripture is saying that as long as we do what God wants we will never have any trouble. I do believe it is saying that when we focus on the things of the Lord and earnestly follow His Word, we will prosper as far as God is concerned. Jesus accomplished everything God had planned for Him to do, and He did it in 33 years.

How will you spend your time? Will you focus on your agenda or God’s?