So during this past winter, especially, I'd wake up at night, 2 or 3 a.m.. Sometimes earlier, sometimes later. And in the blackness, the conviction would begin. Droning. Nagging. Whispering.
"You didn't do your back-strengthening exercises yesterday." (And usually my back was hurting to illustrate that point.)
"You forgot to brush McCartney The Long-Haired Cat, even though she doesn't like it. But the hair which she can't reach to clean is all matted."
"You didn't floss. You've not written in your diary in weeks. You barely drank any water yesterday and the bird feeders outside are still empty. And you didn't eat one single vegetable yesterday, either." (Good grief.)
Convictions keeping me awake! Gah!
Some were from God, some from me, but all came in the silence of the night. (It's harder to ignore God when the noises of daytime are gone--and He knows it.)
Some were from God, some from me, but all came in the silence of the night. (It's harder to ignore God when the noises of daytime are gone--and He knows it.)
So after a few weeks of all that nighttime nagging, finally I got out a large index card and wrote down what I call My Daily Conviction List.
On the list are those things which I'd heard whispered in the night and other tasks which I tend to forget like, getting the newspaper from the mailbox before Tom goes to work, playing the old-fashioned radio in our kitchen because it's a cool retro thing to do, taking my vitamins, keeping the water-filtered jug full, etc.
On the list are those things which I'd heard whispered in the night and other tasks which I tend to forget like, getting the newspaper from the mailbox before Tom goes to work, playing the old-fashioned radio in our kitchen because it's a cool retro thing to do, taking my vitamins, keeping the water-filtered jug full, etc.
The List stays on our counter top and when I'm feeling especially energetic and efficient, I go down The List and do the things bam! One right after the other. Check, check, check. All done.
The best thing? I'm sleeping better, for the nighttime nagging has ceased. Hooray! The second best thing? My daily tasks are getting done daily. Kinda blows your mind, doesn't it?
Isn't it amazing what a little bit of obedience to God can do?
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"To obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22 (Always, I hear Keith Green singing those words whenever I read them. Anyone else?)
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"It's the little foxes that spoil the vine." ... Song of Solomon 2:15 (And if I'm sloppy, it's the little things which will spoil whole portions of my life.)
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Yes, those little foxes!! I love that illustrations. I do the same as you, waking up in the wee hours, thinking of things I havent' done but most of mine are things that are way past beign able to do, they are regrets of things not done/things done concerning my children. All I can do is pray that God will take the good things I accomplished and build on them.
ReplyDeleteOh Patti! Ack, that sounds more like condemnation. Or guilt. And you know? When God sends conviction I've noticed it always comes with the power and specific ways to overcome whatever it is I'm doing wrong. It's an active sort of thing, something which arrives with hope that the situation can be changed.
ReplyDeleteCondemnation is the opposite-- it arrives to keep us feeling bad, hopeless and comes from satan. I know you're not the only person reading my blog who experiences this--I know God wants it to totally go away and stay in the past where it belongs. I'll be praying it will.
On the righthand side of my blog I have posts dealing with Conviction vs. Guilt. They might help. It's been so good to be set from that junk and I want you and others to be set free once and for all, too! Thanks for the openness of your comment! Blessings, Debra
I love your note card idea.
ReplyDeleteObedience is better then sacrifice...my mother used to quote that verse often when I was a child. As a child, I nerver really understoon what it meant, I thought she was just on me to be obedient! I fully understand it now...there's lots of wisdom in that verse!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post! And I love the graphic you chose, too. I love your conviction list and I intend to get one started, too. FYI, it should come as no surprise that some of your stuff is on my List.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Annie