One Day at a Time

Life comes at you fast; too fast sometimes. I'm a part-time student with two jobs and a lot of other commitments that take up time in my day-to-day living. Someone with a schedule like mine cannot handle everything without planning in advance. It annoys my friends sometimes. I get obsessive about planning things. When plans change or get canceled, I freak out. Not very long ago, I used to be a person who did everything one day at a time. But nowadays, it seems like I am so caught up in determining the end result, that I neglect the steps it takes to get there.

I'll use my college education as an example. I have known what I've wanted to do with my career for a long time now (before I even stepped into college). I have not changed my major or anything. I know exactly where I want to be 5 years from now. But the problem is, I've neglected my education over the past year and half. I've watched as my grades and GPA plummeted and I nearly flunked out of college. Now I am working through the steps necessary to get my education back on track; but before, I was just too focused on the end goal and not the steps to takes to achieve that goal.

In the bible you hear a lot of stories about people who were goal-oriented but didn't seem to quite make it through the steps to get there. Then Jesus came around and He was always teaching the people about living the day-to-day, and letting tomorrow worry about itself.

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34 (New King James Version)

So what would happen if I spent more time worrying about each and every day instead of what was going to happen tomorrow? Its like I've become so focused on the path ahead, that I miss the roots and potholes that are stuck in the road along the way. I guess that's why they recommend that you start each day in prayer and meditation on the scripture. You ask God to give you the wisdom to make it through the day while still glorifying Him. Not an easy task. Especially when you are worried about what's going tomorrow, or that weekend, or a month down the road.

Its ok to have goals, I just need to remember that a goal is only the end of a series of steps leading up to it. Easier said than done.