The Next Best Thing

I am reading a book that is really good for pondering. It is titled, Forgotten God by Frances Chan (author of Crazy Love, which I also have mentioned).  It is about the power of Holy Spirit, and has challenged me to really consider the power I allow to be exhibited in my own life.

He fell in line with thoughts I have already had mulling around in there, when he said "It's much less demanding to think about God's will for your future than it is to ask Him what He wants you to do in the next ten minutes. It's safer to commit to following Him someday instead of this day." (pg 120)


Also, "I think a lot of us need to forget about 'God's will for my life'. God cares more about our response to His Spirit's leading today, in this moment, than about what we intend to do next year." (pg 120)

I find that thought challenging! To consider what the will of the Spirit is every minute of the seems daunting..right? I think yes, if you look at the big picture like that ...

But, what if you considered rather simply the next best thing? Even better, the next best thing?

Applying that to my own life, I think that I am in the place 100 times a day when I faced with making a choice about what to do with a limited resource ...do I do laundry, or read to the kids? Do I plan this weeks meals, or read my bible? Do I sit down and watch Sing Off with the husband or clean the kitchen?  Just this morning, I wrestled in myself to consider ...do I sleep a bit longer so I will be better physically prepared for the day (baby is in teething crisis, up ALOT last night!) or go ahead and get up and get my head in the game before the kiddos get up?

We are faced with these good choices, much more often than whether or not we are going to break one of the ten commandments. Really, these choices are the ones that most of us have to make constantly.

In the effort to live a life that is lead by the Holy Spirit, it is even possible to be guided one moment at a time? Can I offer the next thing to God, and trust that He will guide those moments to culmination of a daily life lived in His glory? I think so.

In Colossians chapter three, Paul gives what my bible titles as "rules for living". He reminds the church in Colossi to "...set your hearts on things above...put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature...rid yourself of such things...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience..forgive as the Lord forgave you....be thankful..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly..."  That is alot of commands, and many things to add to our spiritual "to do" lists! :)

But, he sums all those things up with  ..."And, whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." 3:17

and, after some more instructions to wives, husbands and slaves he repeats ..."whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." vs. 23

We can surely give our days generally to God, as well we should. But wouldnt it be even better, and perhaps more effective if were to consciously give God each moment and ask for His leading for the next best thing?

Lord, we give you our days and ask for your leading in each of its moments to show us how you want us to use the each and every one. We ask for your Spirit's guidance to show us the best way to spend those moments. Center our minds, heart and spirits on your leading so that we are always living in  your will -no matter what we are doing today.