Complacency in the Comfort Zone

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6  

Years ago, when I first began homeschooling, I received a gift.  The gift was a simple coin enclosed in a pendant.  But, that coin meant the world to me.  I placed it on a chain, and wore it as a necklace.  You see, that coin was an actual Widow’s Mite.  Yes, like the ones the widow in the gospels dropped into the collection at the temple.  The story, where the widow was praised for her gift of little monetary value.  She was praised because she gave all she had.

I never believed there was anything intrinsically magical about that coin. But I liked to wear it to remind myself I needed to give all I have in serving God. And at that stage of my life, that was largely defined as giving all I had to serve my family. Every morning when I would get myself ready for the day, I would don that necklace, and pray.  I would pray that God would show me what was important for me to do that day.  I would pray He would show me what each daughter needed from me that day.  I would pray He would guide me into teaching each how she individually learned, and that I would have many “teachable moments” so I could give them the best instructions for how to live life.

Two years ago, I had a year off homeschooling.  Since we home school until each reaches fourth grade, and all that  were school age were in school, and the last daughter was only in preschool, it was my year off!  I would still pray over each daughter, but those prayers were different.

This fall, I once again began homeschooling; our last daughter is in Kindergarten.  What a joy to be doing school with her!  How fun to do Kindergarten, teaching her to read, to count by 5’s and 10’s and to learn how to add.  Kindergarten is easy to home school, especially when I’ve done it before!

I realized something recently.  I came across that necklace I used to wear almost every single day.  It had gotten buried at the bottom of my jewelry box.  And along with the necklace, many of my prayers for homeschooling had been buried too.  I had gotten comfortable with what I’m doing.  I feel I pretty much know how to do it.  And, I often hear from other adults how advanced my youngest pupil is. This week I realized, when holding that necklace in my hand, I don’t ask God into my school hours like I used to. Why?

Because I think I have this.  I can do this.  In fact, it would seem I am doing this, and am having a measure of success.

How many areas of our lives have we grown complacent? How often do we reserve prayers for guidance and wisdom for only the things which steal our peace?  Do we remember to pray for the mundane?  Do we remember that we can’t know everything, but that we have great access to the One who does?

I’ve started wearing that necklace again.  It’s not just about remembering to ask God into my home school, (although that’s important too!)  It’s about me remembering to give Him access to all of my day, my words, my actions.

Because, bottom line, I don’t want to do a thing, without Him.

Reflections:

Monday: Do you agree with the idea that God wants all of us?  He wants all our time, our words, and our actions?

Tuesday: Do you make it a priority to give your day to God? Do you have a time or place where you give your day to God? Please share your ideas!

Wednesday:   Evaluate your prayers.  Can you find an area where complacency has settled in? Evaluate why this may have happened.

Thursday: Pray about your findings this week.  How can you guard against that?

Friday: Prayer: Thank you Father, for never giving up on me.  Thank you for Your great patience and Your great love.  Please help me keep my eyes fixed one You, living my life according to Your plans, not mine.  Please align my heart and mind with Yours, and help me to not be distracted by my own perception of success. Thank you for being the author and perfecter of my faith, and my life. Amen.