A Season to Dwell With

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing” wrote Steven Covey, in his popular book – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

If not for those wise words and, more importantly, how they have resonated with God’s faithful, gracious, tender care and guidance in what has been a most stressful and demanding few months, I might be apologising for not sending this earlier (I had hoped it would go out on or around 1st July!)

Not that I have been attempting to be ‘highly effective’. I’ve simply been trying to keep threats at bay, long-standing problems moving forward to resolution, support family and friends, and meet writing and speaking deadlines. On that latter point, I sadly had to let go of a  number of commitments and opportunities as the disruptive interruptions of “life” made it difficult to even keep up with previously commissioned work.

Don’t worry, this isn’t a pity-party. It is a warm invitation, and if needed, loving permission, to consider what ‘keeping the main thing’ might be for this season of your life too.

Whatever kind of day we are having, and whatever pressures, distractions, temptations or sorrows we may face and endure for any prolonged period of time, Jesus points us to the ‘main thing’ to focus on through His creative combination of two instructions found in Deuteronomy and Leviticus. 

Here are a few thoughts to ponder as we dwell with His words in the coming weeks:

– How can I make time and space to be alone to love and be loved by God? Where might that be, what does that look like, and how realistic am I being?

– Could I make more of opportune moments to pause to be present to His presence through my day, be that while boiling a kettle, waiting at the school gate, or between one task and another? 

– How intentional am I in loving God through my behaviour, attitudes, words, lifestyle choices, use of resources….?

– Do I simply need to dwell with God’s love for me for a while, to inspire my loving response? 

– Whether my day is full or mundane, busy or lonely, stressful or peaceful, what does it look like to love others – every individual I am in contact with in person or online? 

– Who or what most often distracts, dissuades or discourages me from choosing to love others as God loves them – and as God loves me? How does ‘keeping the main thing the main thing’ speak into that? 

– Am I putting extra pressure on myself by trying to do things I want to do or fulfil other people’s expectations, instead of remaining within the boundaries of life that Jesus has called and equipped me to inhabit (note Matthew 11:28-30)?

– Do I need to hear and respond to Jesus’ invitation to stop and rest for an hour or a day, or perhaps even longer? (Mark 6:31)

– Is there anything I am being invited to ‘park’ for a season, to help me ‘keep the main thing the main thing’? (eg. I took a break from social media and delayed preparing this post)

As you mull on Jesus’ ‘main thing’ this season, may you know peace, comfort, reassurance, guidance and contentment, as He continues to nourish and transform you with His Life. 

Early on in His ministry, the disciples woke one morning to find many people looking for Jesus. Surely He would want to speak with them, they assumed, delighted no doubt by His rapidly rising popularity. 

But they couldn’t find Him!

Jesus, they later found out, had got up while it was still dark and taken Himself off to enjoy being alone with His Father. During this time, He had also discerned His Father’s leading for the day. 

When Peter eventually found Him and urged Him to return, Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so that I can preach there also. THAT IS WHY I HAVE COME [uppercase emphasis mine].” (Mark 1:35-39)

Both here and elsewhere we read how Jesus never assumed from circumstances the right thing to pursue. He always sought His Father first. Consequently, at the end of His life He could say without any doubt or regret, “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4). 

To assume is to jump to conclusions from what we feel, think, see or hear. To discern is to wait, to pray, and look out  for or listen to God’s response, with the eyes and ears of our heart. And so, as we follow His leading we will one day be able to say, “I have sought to bring You glory, Father, even if I’ve failed at times.” 

  – What might “everyone is looking for you” feel or look like in your life? Who or what makes demands or puts pressure on you aside of the obvious responsibilites you have as parents, carers, employees etc ? 
– Before reacting in haste to these demands or expectations, allow yourself time to be with God, to enjoy His presence, and in time, to discern anything He may speak or reveal to guide your use of the day(s). 
– Even when opportunities look favourable or enticing, bear in mind what someone wisely counselled me to consider: 
“Is it merely good, or is it of God?” 

Pursuing God’s purpose is not always about the “what”, but is always about the “how”. So whatever we put our hand to each day in the home, our community, in paid or voluntary roles, and in times of sickness as well as health, it is how we love and potentially serve others that glorifies God. It is how we live that Jesus, Paul and others so often focus on.

– Am I too focused onwhat God might be calling me to do, instead of prioritising how I am living and so loving others today?