One of Those Days

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 

One of Those Days 
Today has been one of those days. One of those days when the devil has been like an obnoxious sports fan screaming in my ear. You know, the ones that just do not know when to sit down on the bleachers and shut up? Yeah, one of those. He has loudly reminded me of everything that is the least bit wrong in the world (both my world and the world in general) since I groggily opened my eyes this morning. Then he proceeded to salt my wounds with new wrongs to add to the pile I allowed him to heap upon my shoulders. But enough about him. You see, there is giving the devil our awareness (meaning we recognize him and his schemes for what they are), and then there is giving him our attention (meaning we switch our focus from the Savior and his work to Satan and his).

Becca the Builder 
"What did you do when all this happened?", you might ask. Well, I did what any type A, organization lover would do: I made a list. "On paper?" No, no, no...in my mind. There are only 50, 604 other lists up there, so what's one more, right? "So, was this a prayer list? You're a Christian; I'm sure this was a prayer list." That would be the spiritually logical action to take, but again no. I went into "Becca the Builder" mode and made a fix-it list of how I planned to repair everything and everyone around me. Not myself, mind you. No time for that. The rest of the world needs my intervention much more.

The List:
1. Hammer the attitude problem of the person giving me grief.
2. Drill some common sense into government policies that are sorely lacking in it.
3. Chainsaw that person I know away from that bad habit that is hurting them.
4. Sand the rough edges off of the personality that is rubbing many the wrong way.
5. If all else fails, break out the demolition crew and destroy some stuff.

I Needed the Nails
The list is meant to be humorous, but there is nothing funny about how I handled this situation. See, I took it all on as MY job, MY responsibility, MY war to fight. Not only is it not my place to fix everything and everyone, I am not even able to do that. In my own power, I cannot even repair what is broken within me. Yes, there is a (whether real or proverbial I know not) Fix-It List with my name on it in Heaven, and I am certain that it is not short enough to be on a Post-It. But God and I work through that list together. In His time. In His way. And, most certainly, in His power. When He desires that I act on a situation, speak His words into someone else's life, or just seek Him in prayer and His word about a troublesome area in life, He speaks to me, not in an angry yell flinging insults at a player on a team, but in a "still, small voice" (see 1 Kings 19:11-12). If I would have taken the time to quiet my heart and listen for Him, I would have realized that I did not need a drill, chainsaw, or, even a hammer. I just needed the power of the nails...the power of the cross...the power of my Savior.

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for your power that never fails, never quits, and is more than enough for us all. Forgive us when we give the devil our attention. Help us keep our focus on You and You alone. Forgive us for attempting to fix it all in our own strength. Thank You that we don't have to. This world is full of problems, but You are full of promises, ones that are never broken. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus's name, Amen!