There are No Deadlines By Deborah Rutherford
During my bible study and journaling this morning, God whispered, “Deborah, there are no deadlines.” And with my wow came tears. There are no deadlines.
My schedule, goals, and dreams overwhelmed me. I had penciled in every moment on my planner. Pray, bible study, writing, appointments, errands, etc. Combined with family obligations and entertainment, I was stretching, overfilling, and floundering.
I bet you have felt this way, too. If you are like me, it can seem as if there are non-stop deadlines. The drudgery of keeping up with us starts stealing our joy. We can become anxious, nervous, depressed, and short with others. When the schedule is filled, we lose track of our purpose and calling. We end up depleted, defeated, and tired.
We often start with good intentions but find ourselves striving and pushing rather than waiting on God’s timing and planning.
What does God say about all this?
It is essential to know that God already has plans for our lives. God’s plans are good plans, meant to prosper and not harm us, to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). We are to trust in God with all our hearts and lean not on our understanding but God’s understanding. Then, by submitting to God, He will make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). God promises that He will instruct and teach us. And so beautiful is that He will counsel with His eye upon us (Psalm 32:8).
We must periodically reassess our goals, deadlines, dreams, and desires to see if they align with God’s plan.
As I spent time reflecting, I realized it was time to re-elevate, take back my schedule, and give it to God. In some areas, this meant saying no to having a quality, not quantity, schedule. When God imparted to me that there were no deadlines with Him, He showed me what was most important. He is the one who will do the growing, increasing, stretching, and planning through the ebbs and flows, the curves, tunnels, and bridges of life.
Thankfully, God imparted to me that there are no deadlines with Him. He wants me to do my very best every day. I do not need to overdo my very best or get by with not my very best. But only my very best, not somebody else’s, but the one God gave me. My best starts with prayer and being still with God in the morning. I then commit my day to Him, giving my schedule, desires, and dreams and watching the day unfold. I am always surprised and in awe of what God can do when I get out of the way.
Sometimes, I won’t even get too much of my to-do list checked off, but that is OK. It is about doing our best, and sometimes our best is small. Small acts of obedience that grow beautiful lives of God’s blessings. As God’s beloved, we know God works all good things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
What will you do?
Will you hop on the narrow path with acts of obedience, turning your day-to-day schedule over to God, our Master Planner? You can settle into a slow, still, quality lifestyle instead of a stressful, anxiety-ridden one that unsettles and overwhelms you. Will you let God immerse you with peace and joy as He carries your burden, giving you rest? Will you trust the Lord with all your heart, walking straight God paths rather than crooked, discouraged ones?
Envision our homes full of harmony, peace, and joy. Quality moments rolled in by God’s map. God grows us where we need to grow—transforming us in His way, maturing us where required, and sharpening us when needed. Our lives are under God’s wing of protection as He prepares us for heaven and eternity with Him.
