Committing My Works to His Will

"Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established."

Proverbs 16:3

As today is the last day of "holiday mode", tomorrow a new year of activity begins.  I have been really praying about how the Lord desires me to schedule my calendar in 2013.  I want to live life with purpose and on purpose.  

In a few hours the January work routine resumes, yet I feel unable to make any commitments.  My life has been swallowed up in hospital and now nursing home visits, both parents desiring daily time so that their days aren't as long and monotonous.  I understand their needs and I love being able to see them and hopefully bring a few hours of "joy" to their day.  That being said, I need some other directions and diversions as well.  My thoughts are currently focused on my parent's care and all the concerns of their affairs.  I feel I have lost touch with the "outside world".

This morning the Lord is calling me to commit my works to the Lord, and my thoughts will be established. As I ask the Lord to direct my days, everything I will do, everywhere I will go, and as I seek Him to guide me into every hour, He will place in my mind ideas and plans that He will allow to take root and develop.  The Lord will counsel me on how to fulfill the plans He places in my heart.  As I surrender to His will for me, the dreams and desires He gives will be agreeable with the Divine and they will come to pass.

Notice the progression of this verse.  Commitment comes first.  The very thing I said earlier that I feel unable to do....commit.  I definitely want my thoughts established therefore there are some commitments I need to make. I want my mind settled on whatsoever is good, pure, worthwhile, pleasing and right, but commitment to the correct action proceeds this shift in thinking.

Commitment isn't easy.  To dedicate ourselves to one thing, we give up other possibilities.  Each choice moves us closer to the Lord or further away.  Avoiding commitment we avoid advancement.  Think of it this way, committing to read His Word daily we are making a choice to give up using that same time sleeping, watching television, or checking Facebook.  Committing to attend Bible Study weekly we are giving up the opportunity to use that same time to go shopping.  Committing to make a meal for a family in need we are surrendering that hour of "me" time with a cup of tea.  Our commitments speak loudly of where our loyalty lies.

Lord, I desire to commit all my works to You.  Most often it's not lack of knowing what to commit to, as it is motivation to make the commitment.  Commitment is work.  It's often not easy to make the choice required. Father fill the gap between my desiring and my doing.  May I not waste time on selfish indulgence, catering to my own willfulness.  I lay my empty calendar before You.  As You fill my days, may I surrender quickly and may You permanently position my thoughts in alignment with the mind of Christ so that even when my will crosses Yours, I will see the good in Thine and learn to be pleased with it.