Pencil Me In
July 12, 2010 
4 Comments
I confess that I am somewhat of an approval junkie with an addiction for wanting to accommodate everyone. Because of that I avoid being penned into unbreakable commitments and usually prefer to have the flexibility to rearrange my plans on the go. What I have learned lately is that saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else. To be brutally honest, there are times that my relationship with God suffers because I pencil in my devotion time with Him. Have you ever said “No” to God by saying “Yes” to something that infringed on your time with Him? I have. I didn’t mean to nor did I want to, but I let it happen. I promised myself that I was going to set aside a particular time to spend with Him only to have that commitment thwarted by something else that really and truly could have waited. Why did I do it? Was it my lack of discipline or maybe it was my tendency to be a people pleaser? Whatever it was, the fact of the matter is that I allowed something of lesser value to interfere with something that ultimately will bring the most value to my life – a closer relationship with God.
James 4:8-Draw near to God and He will draw near to you
God has penned my entire life so how on earth could I ever pencil Him in? He has already written the what’s, the how’s, the when’s and the where’s of my life and all He desires is that I daily spend uninterrupted time with Him so that we are on the same page, at all times.
Thank God that our God, in spite of being rescheduled, postponed or even cancelled, does not complain but remains forgiving, loving and faithful. More importantly He is always accessible; always available and waits patiently to spend time with us. Relationships come and go but our relationship with God is one that we cannot allow to wither away. It is the most important relationship that we will ever have and should be prioritized and constantly nurtured.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for not making my special time with you a priority. Please give me the discipline, the grace and the strength to put my relationship with You above all else and to commit to a daily devotion where I spend time alone with You.
Are you saying “No” to God by saying “Yes” to other things that take your focus away from Him?
I’m not saying that I am busier than the average person but lately I find myself being pulled in many directions. A friend and I were trying to schedule a time when we could get together and it seemed that regardless of the date she called, I was hesitant. When we finally decided on a day, she remarked “I know how busy you are, so just pencil me in.” She laughed off the comment, but it did hit close to home because it was true and I had become notorious with those close to me for making tentative plans. Her comment was further convicting because it made me realize that I was also treating God the same way. I was also penciling Him in and making the daily time that I had committed to spend with Him, tentative.
I confess that I am somewhat of an approval junkie with an addiction for wanting to accommodate everyone. Because of that I avoid being penned into unbreakable commitments and usually prefer to have the flexibility to rearrange my plans on the go. What I have learned lately is that saying “yes” to one thing means saying “no” to something else. To be brutally honest, there are times that my relationship with God suffers because I pencil in my devotion time with Him. Have you ever said “No” to God by saying “Yes” to something that infringed on your time with Him? I have. I didn’t mean to nor did I want to, but I let it happen. I promised myself that I was going to set aside a particular time to spend with Him only to have that commitment thwarted by something else that really and truly could have waited. Why did I do it? Was it my lack of discipline or maybe it was my tendency to be a people pleaser? Whatever it was, the fact of the matter is that I allowed something of lesser value to interfere with something that ultimately will bring the most value to my life – a closer relationship with God.
James 4:8-Draw near to God and He will draw near to you
God has penned my entire life so how on earth could I ever pencil Him in? He has already written the what’s, the how’s, the when’s and the where’s of my life and all He desires is that I daily spend uninterrupted time with Him so that we are on the same page, at all times.
Thank God that our God, in spite of being rescheduled, postponed or even cancelled, does not complain but remains forgiving, loving and faithful. More importantly He is always accessible; always available and waits patiently to spend time with us. Relationships come and go but our relationship with God is one that we cannot allow to wither away. It is the most important relationship that we will ever have and should be prioritized and constantly nurtured.
Lord Jesus, please forgive me for not making my special time with you a priority. Please give me the discipline, the grace and the strength to put my relationship with You above all else and to commit to a daily devotion where I spend time alone with You.
Are you saying “No” to God by saying “Yes” to other things that take your focus away from Him?
Amen sis! it’s a battle we all face, in your case, you are a people person, a good thing…but sometimes you have to say no, can’t take on too much, in life we have to prioritize….God, Family, Work, etc. Sometimes we even get so involved with church business and that gets in the way of us worshiping…yeah that happens too, just have to find the right balance and don’t forget what comes first
This question just says it all, “God has penned my entire life so how on earth could I ever pencil Him in?” Thank you for this post! I needed a good kick in the pants!
Kaleb, how can I thank you for your amazing posts… This particular line, ‘I promised myself that I was going to set aside a particular time to spend with Him only to have that commitment thwarted by something else that really and truly could have waited.’ is so much for me!!! I am ashamed but must confess, sometimes I do feel bored to pray, read the bible and at such times, I think of various other things to do in the time allotted to God thus looking for means to put off my time with HIM. I know it is unpardonable but our merciful Lord has always been there waiting for me. This post has been truly an eye-opener for me. I have now decided no matter what I am going through in life, I am going to make God my priority and put HIM first in my life. Enough of taking HIM for granted. HE deserves nothing less.
Kaleb, I must say, your posts have been really, really enlightening. I keep reading them over and over again to understand better. I don’t know whether it is intuitive or not, but somehow, every post that you write is so timely, it is an answer to what I am going through at that particular time. I kind of get my answers from your writings… Thank you, Kaleb… Keep writing… Waiting to read more…
Aruna – I am so blessed that I can be a blessing to you and an encouragement in your walk with the Lord. It truly touches me to know that my reflections positively influence your life. God Bless….and definetly, I will keep writing!