We hosted our families for the first time and it was so fun gathering everyone at our home! We did some yard work to prepare and when we were in the front yard I noticed the tulips we planted in the fall were growing. When I saw the tulips growing side by side, with the space in between, it reminded me how the seeds need space in order to grow. When seeds are planted too close together they can inhibit one another from growing.
Margin helps growth.
This made me think about life.
I have been noticing for a while now there are many distractions in my life that I can give my time and attention to that aren't helping me grow into who God made me to be, and distract me from the work I am meant to do. At times I feel like I am living wide and shallow rather than narrow and deep.
Can you relate?
If so, I invite you to join me to...
pause. breathe. pray.™
May we take a step back to look at the full picture of what our days look like. Are we overcrowding our mind and days with some things that are unnecessary and inhibiting us from growing into who God made us to be? If so, what are a few of those unnecessary things?
Sit for a moment - maybe listen to the song of the week - while you answer that question.
A couple of unnecessary distractions for me are my phone and social media. For a while now I have been making sure my phone is plugged in when I am home so I go to it when I need it, and I have been off of social media since the new year. Creating margin with these two choices has been refreshing for my mind, and soul.
I'm not trying to tell you to make these same choices. But I am encouraging you to ask yourself, "what is one thing I need to stop doing this week to help create more margin in my mind, and life, so I can live more fully as God designed me to?"
Like seeds that are planted too close together, when we overcrowd our minds and lives with unnecessary things, they will entangle us from growing into the person God made us to be, and inhibit us from doing the work we are called to do. May we be willing to create margin in our minds and lives by turning away from those unnecessary distractions that inhibit our growth. Instead, let's choose to grow deeper roots with God, and pray to grow into the people He made us to be.
With love and hope,
Shawn
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
- Romans 12:2