Topic: Your Choices Control Your Calendar [RICK WARREN Devotional 13 July 2021]

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Your Choices Control Your Calendar

“We are each responsible for our own conduct.”

Galatians 6:5 (NLT)Your choices are far more powerful than your circumstances.

You can see that clearly in how you spend your time. You may not like how complicated and busy your life has become. But with few exceptions, no one is forcing you to keep your life complicated.

You have the power to simplify your life. In fact, God expects you to assume responsibility for your calendar and to carefully choose how you spend your time.

Do you know how much time you have here on earth? You have just enough time to do God’s will. In other words, you’ve been given just enough time to fulfill your purpose. When you try to do more than God planned for you, it’s only natural that you find yourself constantly out of time or stressed over your schedule.

You may have heard the saying: If the Devil can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy. He’ll get you so busy that you don’t have time for the important stuff—time alone with God, ministry, and mission.

What do you need to let go of? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:23, “‘Everything is permissible,’ but not everything is helpful” (HCSB). What does that mean? It means this: A lot of things aren’t necessarily wrong; they’re just not necessary. Life often means choosing either “Am I going to do something good?” or “Am I going to do what’s best?”

Take some time this week to pray over your calendar. Ask God to show you what parts of it are part of his purpose for you. As you do this, I pray that you will find relief from stress and a new sense of satisfaction as you do only the things God created you to do.

• Make a list of the activities and responsibilities that are causing you stress. Ask God to help you determine the things on your schedule that he never intended for you to do.
• Where do you believe God wants you to focus your time and energy?
• What choices do you need to make that will help you focus more on what God has planned for you?

Have you committed your life to Christ?

No matter what you’ve done or where you’ve been, you’ve got a place in God’s forever family ready and waiting for you. The invitation is wide open. Just believe and receive.

Are you ready? Start with this prayer:

“Dear God, I know when I die I’m going to give an account of my life to you directly. I confess I have ignored you. I know I have sinned against you, and I have lived by my plan, not yours. I want that to change, starting right now. I want to turn away from my sins toward you.

“Thank you for sending Jesus to die for all I’ve done wrong so that I don’t have to pay the penalty. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I know only your grace can save me, Lord. I could never be good enough to get into a perfect place.

“Jesus, thank you for loving me so much that you took all my guilt on yourself. You made me acceptable for heaven, and I humbly ask you to save me. I ask you to save me from the sins and habits that are messing up my life right now. I believe in you, Jesus. And I believe you will keep your promise to save me instantly, certainly, completely, and eternally. I want to live the rest of my life by your priorities, not my own. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

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