Daily Journal: 26 December

Plan Ahead

and Forecast Thoughtfully

If you own a home, you know it takes continual upkeep and maintenance; a watchful eye on things that need repair to keep them looking good and working well, and on things to improve their function.

It takes consideration about how we need to live in our spaces for the purposes of our lifestyle. There are times we need to declutter; clear things out to make room for the new. We must consider the cost of what is required; to weigh the balance of what would be profitable and what would be wasteful. We should plan ahead and forecast thoughtfully for the priorities we see coming and, if we’re able to, for unseen eventualities.

It's the same with our spiritual journey. There is never a time that we can forego doing some spiritual maintenance.

Where do we need to declutter old and stale mindsets and replace them with whatever is good and pleasant? What do we need to throw away that is not serving us well so that we can build a more stable, beautiful, soulful environment? What new practises should we put in place, and follow through with? How are we going to plan to meet the requirements we feel we are being led towards? How do we ensure we’re topping our cup up so that we don’t run dry?

Isaiah 40:3-5 (NLT)

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”

As we approach the end of another year and the beginning of a new year, we can pause to consider these things and seek the Shepherd, the One who knows the way we take.

Jeremiah 31:21 (The Message)

“Set up signposts to mark your trip home. Get a good map. Study the road conditions. The road out is the road back. Come back, dear virgin Israel, come back to your hometowns.” 

God’s promise is always, without fail, to redeem, renew and restore us, to lead us in the way we should take. Follow the way He calls us to take and we will, step by step, get to where He wants us to go. No stress. No strain. Just a willingness to plan well.

If you own your own home, you are the only one who will maintain it.

Five Key Points to reflect on:

1. Clear out the junk.

2. Fill in the empty places with His Word.

3. Level the mountains; the things that obstruct our freedom of movement in Him.

4. Straighten the curves; the distracting things that can derail us.

5. Smooth out the rough places that cause unnecessary detours.

Isaiah 30:21 (CEV)

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, "This is the road! Now follow it."

Follow it, clearly. Clear of baggage. Clear of obstructions. Clear of residue.