Undivided

I don’t know about you, but my to-do list keeps getting longer and longer, no matter how many tasks I check off. I know some of you reading this are scratching your head asking what’s a to-do list? God bless you.

Over the past few weeks, I feel like I am being pulled in a hundred different directions. Between homelife, church life, self-care- everything feels urgent and needs to be attended to immediately. All this leaves me feeling…

Anxious.  

I was processing this with my spiritual director, Dave, last week, and was reminded that the word used for anxiety in the biblical Greek can refer to a divided mind.

As I was processing all this with Dave, I began to see that the root of my anxiety was not the long list of things I need to get done. The root was that my mind was divided. I saw the long list and instantly began scheming how I could get all of those things done- most of which were totally out of my control. Things like, find a house for my family… yesterday. Grow the children’s ministry at church by next week. Preach an amazing sermon… every week. Have a deep, emotionally driven prayer experience with Jesus every morning… before coffee.

My mind was divided because I was focusing on the things that needed to get done, rather than focusing on the One who desires to show me what he wants me to actually do. Dave laughed when I made this connection. He said something like, “Shocker, you feel anxious when you don’t focus on Jesus?!” I told him to shut up.

After I made this connection, I was led to confess to Dave and to God where I had allowed my mind to be divided.

I invite you to PAUSE and join me in confessing to God where your divided mind is causing you undue anxiety.

Take a few breaths in and out. Pray:

Holy Spirit, still my heart and mind. O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. (Psalm 139:1–4)

I invite you to reflect on the past few days.

Where has your mind been divided?

Where have you been relying on your own strength?

How has that been going for you?

Confess to God what came to your mind.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what your undivided mind can look like, even if your circumstances or situation do not change in the days to come.

PAUSE.

Listen.

In light of what you sensed God say to you, pray:

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart,  that I may fear your name (Psalm 86:11)

Go in peace.