Yesterday, I was reading Jesus Calling as part of my worship time. Have you ever had words hit you right where it hurt? That happened to me.

This is what it said:

You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life. If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace. But the more you work to accomplish that goal, the more things crop up on your list. The harder you try, the more frustrated you become.

There is a better way to find security in this life. Instead of scrutinizing your checklist, focus your attention on My presence with you. This continual contact with Me will keep you in My peace. Moreover, I will help you sort out with is important or not, what needs to be done now and what does not.

Sometimes it’s difficult for me to slow down and simply be still enough to soak in all that God desires to give for that day.

I’m immersed in what I need to be doing, what I haven’t done yet, what I’m doing at the moment … that somehow I lose sight of this one fact:

God is in control.

If I’m truly doing whatever task is in front of me with God’s desires on my heart (Colossians 3:23) then why am I so worried about how it will all turn out, or so afraid that if I’m not constantly in control of it all that it won’t fall into place.

What if I did the best I could for that day, and let tomorrow unfold according to God’s plan, and not mine?

What if I slipped that unending burden off my shoulders and rested in my Heavenly Father’s sovereignty instead?

Whether that is as a mom, in ministry, in day-to-day tasks or even in the growth process we so desire?

What if we rested in God each day, soaking in His presence and did the best we could, and delighted in what God can do with that small loaf of bread (John 6:9-14)?

Today I sat down and pushed my to-do list to the side, and just as this devo spoke to me yesterday, I found what I needed.

Will you join me today and do the same?

What keeps you from setting down that mental checklist to allow God to fill you up?