One Day at a Time

At the beginning of the school year, my daughter was given a packet of grammar lessons for the entire year. On each of the home school days, she is assigned one grammar lesson at a time. About halfway through the year I asked her to pull out the lesson for that specific day, but out of curiosity she pulled out the very LAST lesson in the back of the large envelope.

“I want to see what the last lesson of the year looks like, Mom!”

She was giggly as she quickly pulled it out, but her beautiful smile turned to pure horror, staring at the paper in front of her. With a look of panic on her face, she exclaimed,

“What is this? This looks so hard,Mom! How will I ever be able to do this if I don’t even understand the directions? I’ll never be able to do this kind of work!!”

I gently took the paper from her,placing it in the back of the folder where it belonged. I encouraged her by saying, “Sweetheart, you aren’t ready for that lesson yet. Don’t worry, by the time the end of the school year comes you will be prepared. Just focus on the lesson you’re given for each day.”

I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to my heart in that moment loud and clear!

You so often want to know what’s up ahead, Lisa. But you don’t need to worry about the things down the road. If I showed you NOW what is up ahead, you wouldn’t understand and you wouldn’t be ready. Trust me one day at a time. I will prepare you for what is coming.

Wow! After being still enough for the Holy Spirit to speak to me in that moment, these two scriptures came to my mind:

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.”

Matthew 6:34 “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.”

We are told that His word is a lamp unto our FEET. It sounds like to me that if the light we are given is for our feet, then that is only a few steps in front of us, not several miles. He only gives us enough light for one step at a time. If we try to get ahead of the light, no wonder we stumble and fall……because we are out of the light.

And no wonder Jesus says not to worry about tomorrow! His grace is sufficient for one day at a time. We are only to focus on whatever is in front of us for that specific day, not get worried about what is down the road.

If God had showed me a year ago some of the trials I’d be facing in this current season, I would’ve had a huge meltdown! I probably would’ve screamed, “You’ve got the wrong person, I’m out of here!”

My daughter was anxious about the last grammar lesson a few months ago. But you know what? She just completed it yesterday. I reminded her of the incident earlier in the year and she smiled. When she focused on the lesson for each day, over time she was being prepared for the next level. Worrying wouldn’t have accomplished anything at all.

So what is it for you? What in your future are you worried about?

How will I know what school is best for my kids?
What if  the test results show cancer?
What if we can’t pay our bills?
What if my marriage doesn’t improve?
How will I handle my child going off to college?

Whatever your situation may be dear friend, rest assured that God sees our path up ahead. He knows what is coming and He will prepare us ONE DAY AT A TIME. As much as we want to know what’s around the next corner, He wants us to rest in Him and receive the grace He’s given us for that day alone.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light to my path.”

Matthew 6:34 “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.”