5 Ideas to Help You Live God’s Will

Several years ago, I remember a moment when I sat on a chair while tears puddled between my eyelids. The only words I could muster were, “I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t even look at my husband as the words spilled off my tongue.

We had recently moved across a few states, but by now I should have had my stuff together. And I didn’t. Instead, for what felt like the tenth time that week I ordered out for dinner instead of whipping up a home-cooked meal sprinkled with love.

I felt sure I had let down my family, yet in my moment of utter defeat my husband … well, he kind of laughed.

He basically said, What are you talking about? I don’t care if we eat pizza every night. 

It turns out, all my striving had been self-imposed.

But it almost feels wrong to say, Don’t strive, doesn’t it? I mean, striving is what launches athletes to the Olympic Games. It’s what separates the good from the great. It is foundational to all success. Isn’t it?

So, I looked up the definition of “strive” and my jaw dropped.

Yes, the first definition falls in line with all the good things mentioned above. But the second definition grabbed my attention … to strive can also mean to struggle in opposition.

When taken too far, striving can actually contend with God’s plans.

So how do we walk this tight rope of striving? How can we be sure we try hard, but not too hard?

Here are five things I’ve found helpful to weave into my day. They keep me focused on God’s direction and help me loosen my grip when I start to squeeze …

1. Start with prayer.

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait expectantly.” Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

Seems obvious, but let’s go a little deeper. I mean the on-your-face, talking-out-loud kind of prayer. The reckless abandonment of your day and your desires because you believe God’s steps are better than your plans.

2. Step outside.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Psalm 19:1 (ESV)

When a canopy of clouds covers my soul something changes. The gap between me and God shortens. The confines of demands spread out and that breath fills more than my lungs. It fills my soul.

3. Slow down.

Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5 (NIV)

Notice I didn’t say stop. Though sometimes God asks us to be completely still, our labor for the Lord each day will not usually afford us an all out work stoppage. We can, however, take time each day to pause. To slow. To silence demands and refocus.

4. Saturate with Scripture.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105 (ESV)

When we hide God’s Word in our hearts, we cover our lives with an arsenal of God’s power and direction. By His Spirit He uses those truths to turn us to the right and to the left. To protect us, point us, send us and shower us with His blessings.

5. Sing praise.

Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!” Psalm 135:3 (ESV)

Whistle while you work! You don’t have to sing the whole day through, but a tune here and there can lift your spirit or sweeten a moment. And that melody might just shake up a Scripture that keeps you in tune with God’s plans.

Let’s Talk! Will you add one of these to your day? Share your favorites and how you’ll put them into practice in the comments section below!

If you’re joining me from my Proverbs 31 Ministries devotion, welcome, and I want to stay connected with you! Subscribe here and I will send you weekly encouragement in your inbox along with 15 Promises to help you drive out fear & anxiety and claim confidence & freedom in Jesus!

15 Power Promises to Fight Fear and Anxiety by Katy McCown.

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24 Comments

  1. thank you for this article as I had just written down in my notebook about God’s plan for my life.

    I pray that the Lord will help me to utilize these Five Points each day.

    I need Improvement on all of them and some I need to do all together

  2. It is 2:27 in the morning, obviously I can not sleep. I am in a holding place in my life . I do not even think I can find the words to describe how I actually feel at this time in my life. In a few words, I am overcome with grief and anxiety. My mother passed away 4 Months ago suddenly of a rare lymphoma. She is in heaven with my dad. Praise be to God. I miss her so very much. Funny, I just saw your blog post for April 1, the day before she passed. So appropriate , I’ll read it! Anxiety grips my heart, but I go to my God every morning as well as throughout the day. Thank you for your words of encouragement. I will start practicing sinking into my life He has planned for me.

  3. Today is the last day of my holiday in this sleepy English village where I have spent precious time each day with the Lord, with my family, I have baked every day and pretended that this IS my life full time! Tomorrow I go home to my fulltime job, balancing ministry, housework, parenting etc etc! I was already going into strive mode in my head!!! Encouragement for Today blessed me and I followed the link to your blog. Thank you. I know I need to hear God on this issue as this is a cycle that has been active in my life for as long as I have been a Mum I think! (Nearly 20 years! ) I know I’m not a nice person to be around when I am in my “strive” mode. .. my husband tells me! Therefore it is counterproductive!! Seeing as it is my intention to do all this “well”!!
    Each of your five points sank into my spirit…. I know the Lord is speaking to me and I pray that I will leave this holiday and “sink” into the Lord’s hands rather than “squeeze” hard for His approval and blessing… I acknowledge that I already have this. God bless xx

  4. I am in a place of wandering. Not away from God. Ihave been in women’s ministry for 15 years or more and God has called me out for a season and I am fitful. I needed this at this leg of the journey.

  5. Thank you so much for your words of encouragement! I never get tired of how I see my Heavenly Father using others to bless, touch, and direct my life.

  6. thank you for these 5 points to think on/pray on. It seems my whole life I’ve just strived. Blessings

  7. I am changing jobs after 11.5 years. I know God led me to this but I am still finding it hard knowing I am saying good bye to all I know on a daily routine. I am a creature of habit and emotional. This Last Week Will Be hard. Praying I continue to know and feel God’s peace and rest in knowing He has set this up. I will sink in, not squeeze. (From the devotion) violin lessons…..

  8. It is so important for me to saturate with Scripture. It breaths life to me. It really is sharper than a two edged sword and it protects me. It protects me, encourages, sustains and guides me. I’m always amazed how the Lord brings to mind a verse I need to think on in just the right time. Mmmm, God’s Word, so precious.

  9. Thank you for this today: I have been a stay at home mom for 16 years and only recently gone to work part time. I never in my life thought I would go back to school, but the Lord has shown me this is what I should do. So after much work I start nursing school next week. With much anxiety, excitement, and fear.
    My husband and family are very supportive, but I am still struggling with why now? I love being a stay or partly stay at home mom. I love helping my minister husband with church visits, ect.
    I pray I can put these 5 practices to use everyday. I know with the Lord’s strength and help we will get through this and like everything in our life he has a plan and purpose and one day I will know why.
    Thanks again for your blog! May it strengthen others as it has me.

    1. Dear Kathy,
      All the very best as you start nursing school (today?!) Remember you are not doing it in your own strength. God bless you and your family.
      Eva

  10. I am just ending week one of an early self imposed retirement. I worked in a high stress management position for 23 years. I began a journey last fall to seek why, at the end of each day, I felt unsettled, unsatisfied, and a bit like a hamster in an exercise wheel. Futile attempts to strive and or survive each day were never met with accomplishment or purpose, or satisfaction.

    With the love and support of my husband of 27 years, we are choosing to sacrifice OUR goals for God’s path. We have 2 beautiful adult children and 2 grandchildren. I am investing in their lives through daycare when needed, prayers always and a deeper connection than ever before with my family. My new normal includes walking, devotionals and worship music all before 9am. What a gloriously blessed new normal I have found in 5 short days.

    Love your 5 points and excited to see that the Lord had planed those seeds within me and used you as affirmation that I’m on the right path. HIS path.

    Blessings, Jennifer

  11. Thank you! I nearly fell out of bed when I read, “What’s Keeping You Up at Night?” So apropos! Forwarded it to my sister who I suspected was also being kept awake, unwillingly, while the balance of the household slept. It is an ironic thing…what is keeping me awake is a point of my reality to which God awakened me less than a year ago. This was never a point of sleeplessness before His ‘intervention’. Since then, I have had the ‘solution’ to this issue squarely fixed in my sights, but have never really surrendered it, or myself to God for His healing in it; complaining and making a plan is so much easier, though living in the strife of it is not. Thank you, again, for these encouraging words!

  12. Thank you for this, Katy. God has truly confirmed what He spoke to me yesterday when we read the fourth chapter of Sheila Walsh’s , “The Longing in Me.”
    I love visuals and violins. I will continue to picture your “let it sink, not squeeze” illustration to remind me to slow down and let God’s perfect timing and will take its own course in several areas of my life.
    God bless you always.
    Cecille

  13. I have felt so overwhelmed by motherhood lately. My 4 yr old is struggling with listening and respect, my 2 year old…well terrible twos. And I have a little 4 month old baby who of course needs lots of attention as well. I definitely needed to read this today. Thank you.

  14. Wonderful words of encouragement. I want to learn to “saturate with scripture” more. It is the only way to get through an extremely stressful job I go to every day.

  15. I’m married currently but was a single mom of 5 for many years where I did not have help from the children dad. So I always felt the need to STRIVE by myself even though I was saved. I would pray last but try to conquer everything by myself I find that even now though I am married I try to do EVERYTHING RIGHT and tip top shape at all times at home and on the job. It has made me bitter, tired, and a martyr for no reason as I see in this devotion. I learned from these suggestions that to start my day with God in control, to continue my day with God, and end my night with God in control….. Got it and thanks it’s not going to be easy but it’s going to be worth it ????????✌????️????????????

  16. Thank you for these wonderful suggestions. I will try to incorporate each of these into my life, starting with heartfelt prayer instead of that fleeting “Good Morning, Lord” I have been doing.

  17. Oh wow, does this ever apply to me now. My elderly mother recently fell and has to be in a rehab nursing home for several months and my family needs to decide if she should stay there to live. Because my mother is very anxious being there, I’m striving big time to find ways to make her comfortable-audiobooks, decorating room, cell phone, arranging visitors, etc.( It doesnt help that i live 400 miles away from my mom and must make the long g trip to see her whenever i can get away. )Some of my efforts have fallen flat and I keep racking my brains to come up with more ideas. I want everything settled now for my mother, but I think God is telling me to let this situation just “sink in.” That sounds relieving. Thank you for this devotional, I really needed to hear this.

  18. Wonderful words of encouragement, I look forward to reading them everyday. I will try to make it a habit of using these 5 points as I walk through my day.
    Thank you.

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