Being Versus Doing

My eyes are on Jesus, but where are my feet going?  Lately I have been ruled by my emotions and circumstances.  My eyes have tried to focus on Jesus, but my feet keep tripping over my emotions.  To get my feet under control, I must determine in advance what it is He wants me to do and just do it, regardless of how I feel at the moment. 

It is natural for me to start a “to-do” list which will easily be swept aside, forgotten, or induce guilt at my failure to accomplish.  But what if I had a “to be” list instead?  First I could consider what Jesus wants me to be.  Considering the things I do or want to do (or don’t want to do but should do) in line with who I want to be may help me to become more focused and less controlled by emotions or circumstance.

·        I want to be a woman of strength, love, confidence, humility, peace, courage, gratitude, beauty…the list could go on and on, but maybe I can be more specific:

·        I want to be a wife that encourages, supports, and loves my husband, enjoying his presence and bringing him joy.

·        I want to be a mom with the character of Jesus, who guides her children in a way that leads them to desire Jesus as the center of their lives and live passionately for Him.

·        I want to be a woman of prayer, to see the power of the Spirit at work in my family, my life, and the world around me.

·        I want to be a woman of the Bible, who loves to study and obey God’s Words in every area of its teaching and to grow deeper in my faith.

·        I want to be a woman whose heart is prone to praise and thankfulness to God so that I can keep my perspective on God’s power, might, and love, submitting to His beautiful authority in all areas of my life.

·        I want to be a woman of love, that the fullness of Christ may overflow in my daily actions and relationships.

·        I want to be what Jesus wants me to be and to engage in every opportunity for relationships where I can display my faith and show His greatness.

How do I do these things on a practical level?  I think it is a series of choices made at the daily level—choices in what to do and what not to do.  I choose to start my day in the Bible and with prayer and praise instead of hitting the snooze button in the mornings.  I choose to think before I speak when I feel short on patience instead of lashing out.  I choose to seek out my children or my husband to chat with or I choose to have a quiet time or exercise instead of sitting in front of the TV with a remote.  But what if my brain feels like fuzz or my body feels like a sack of potatoes? I choose to read or exercise anyway, and if it doesn’t work after attempting it, then I will exercise or read – choices that consider my body without being ruled by it.