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ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON?
"On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water."" John 7:37-38 I am not a morning person. No matter how hard I try, I never get out of bed in exactly the right mood to face whatever challenges the day may throw at me. I've tried everything, from refusing to talk to anyone until I've been awake for at least an hour, to promising myself that I'll never think any bad thoughts before noon. The harder my work, the more demanding my hours, the crazier my social life, the more impossible it is to start the day in the way I really want to: conscious of God's love and full of a desire to be a blessing to others, to share that love unreservedly. One Lent I drove myself almost crazy trying to ready myself for whatever God would throw my way. I wanted to be so ready to minister to whatever needs I encountered, that I would spend enormous amounts of energy trying to be prepared. I made a plan for dealing with every situation in a positive, loving way. Needless to say I was a complete disaster! Day after day I would fall flat on my face. Conscientious to a fault, I never gave up trying until I was totally exhausted. Finally, one day I was confronted with a marvelous opportunity to be a blessing to someone I didn't like and was far too tired to summon up the energy to do anything but plan a swift getaway. "I can't do this!" I said to God. "This just isn't working! Help me!" And that was the breakthrough. I was empty and had nothing to give. So God gave through me. God filled me with the living waters that I passed on to the parched soul I came into contact with. I didn't have to minister in my own power, I just had to get out of the way and let God do it. Now not only do I get out of bed feeling a lot happier, but I am continually amazed at what God does when I rely on God's power and forget about myself. Peter Summers is the youngest son of Don and Lena Summers |
