I woke up this morning in a panic. It’s Monday, need I say more?
I don’t like to wait until last minute to get things done. I like to have a plan. I like when people tell me what to do and give me a deadline. I like being able to see what needs to be done and executing it well.
This morning, the list of things I needed to accomplish felt like a mile long. I had a moment of sincere regret for having a restful weekend when I could’ve been crossing off some things I needed to do today.
You know what I mean, right? We reach the beginning of the week after spending a weekend disconnected from responsibility, and we almost give up before we begin. We walk in an air of less-than.
So I got right with the Lord for a minute. I prayed in the quiet. I got loud and honest, and I didn’t hold back from a God who knows my innermost being.
I came back with truths for this week and this month, even this day. And I think they are truths I hope not only for me, but for all women. Especially on a Monday that feels too much like a Monday.
1. We have the ability to walk in freedom.
I had a few meetings earlier today, and I got that itch in my stomach. I get it when I feel out of my element, intimidated, or self-conscious that I’m going to mess up. And I said to God, “I don’t feel up to par, but who cares? You call me up. You call me out. You give me things to pour into, and Lord, I know this is of you. What do I have to be unsure about?”
It sounds almost too simple. But the freedom He offers us is so sweet and so accessible. It isn’t for those who know the Bible front to back. It’s really for you and me. It’s really for those of us who arrive in His presence right after sinning for the hundredth time.
We can walk into the world knowing we’re known by the only King. You are perfectly up to par.
2. You’re part of the grand vision of Jesus, and you fit in.
Truly. I don’t care how you look, how you say it, or what the world has ever said about you. You’re part of this. You get to be. And you fit with the “us” we tend to be intimidated by.
The Church is a big, mighty vessel, and it isn’t made up of separate bodies. We’re all part of the same sainthood, we all get to sit with Jesus and know Him well. So join in. Your place isn’t in the back, behind the “more important” ones. You belong. You fit here.
3. There is true satisfaction in the Lord, in all areas.
I think I have always limited the satisfaction in Jesus to what was “spiritual”. Like, I knew only He could satisfy my need to be fully loved. Only God could ever give me true freedom. But I didn’t realize that transcends into everything.
Things like the money I spend on new coffee mugs or another lipstick. He can satisfy the joy I receive from being thanked by others. He can satisfy my longing to be beautiful. He can satisfy my desire to be confident. He can give me freedom and completeness in wanting to have purpose.
Only God can fulfill. Only He can satisfy. Only He can grant freedom that surpasses our worldy chains.
4. The more we pray, the less we’re overwhelmed.
The continual conversation I have with the Lord is truly continuous. It does not end when I stop talking out loud. It doesn’t end when I am working. It doesn’t end when I’m mothering. It doesn’t end when I get a moment alone. It can’t even end when I turn the TV on.
I only feel peace and rest when I’m talking to Him. I only feel true confidence when I’ve entrusted all my fears and worries to a great Father. I begin to believe in truths like freedom, satisfaction, and belonging when I never stop talking to the God who created those terms.
The more I pray, the more I feel like I’m walking shoulder to shoulder with Him. The words I say are more filled with His vision. The things I think start to encompass His compassion. The works of my hands start to reflect His mercy.
So what if it’s Monday? Praying these truths start to echo in your mind today, friend.
JANELLE DELAGRANGE 