“…Give us this day, our daily bread.” “Just for today.” “One day at a time.”
There’s a theme here. But what exactly does that all that mean? How do you live for today only when life is pressing in all around you? Health is failing, finance stresses, relationship issues. Low grade anxiety, poor concentration. What’s left but oodles of time to try to do something constructive. Given new parameters, MS is not for the faint of heart that’s for sure.
Which gives new meaning to one day at a time. Give us our daily bread literally means that God will inspire us every moment if we allow it. It could come all kinds of ways - a phone call triggering a memory, a newspaper headline, an echo, (something you heard more than once from different sources) - anything really that spurs us into action. But we have to be open to it. It could come as a strong conviction, or a quiet convincing thought. Daily bread. Just enough for one day. In the bible, while the people were in the wilderness it rained manna down for them to eat but if they tried to store it up for the next day, it went rotten. God will supply our needs and grant us peace in bite sized portions.
For me with my new designation, it’s one decision at a time, one simple small task at a time. Leaving the worries and cares of the big picture alone. I read somewhere to give half an hour to the overall future but then move on. I devote less to it if I am overwhelmed and stuck.
Moving slower and slower takes longer and longer to accomplish daily living tasks. So much so that life has become a zillion mini chores rolled into one giant household errand that can take all day. So how does one keep oneself motivated in such an environment? Then balance. Then prayer. My best days are doing a little bit of all. Feeding myself mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. Then trusting the big picture to the big guy Himself. Disappointments don’t have to take me down for the whole day like they used to, although sometimes they still do.
I’m also aware of backsliding. Believing lies about my worth being connected to my doing – or not doing as poor health prevails - is a common path of backsliding into the pit of hopelessness I try to stay away from. Usually by doing something for someone else to get out of myself.
Doubt, indecision, confusion are other bad boys. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. You’re either moving forward or back. There is no standing still in the spiritual life.
So just for today if you indeed living your best self today, you got it. Not overwhelmed by the giant decisions but or lazing out by not doing anything but making up the day with a kabillion well made little decisions. That’s what will move you forward.
Yesterday worked so well, I think I’ll try it again today.