A New Day

Each day it seems I wake to struggle with acceptance. Acceptance of circumstance. Acceptance of my current situation. Not that it is entirely all bad, in fact if it's measured next to some, it looks like quite a good life. But I don't measure myself or my life on goodness based on if it is full of travels, or good health, family and friends or shelter and a pooch to cuddle. Although, those things are indeed what make my life wonderful and full. But it's a contentment and peace that is deeper than all those things that I long for. Whether things are "good" or "bad" in my life. Whatever I'm facing, I long for peace in each new day. And even though I'm aware that that, for me, only comes from knowing my Creator, I still struggle.

But I woke this morning to a realization. I felt God speaking to me, "Wake without trying to change your circumstances today. Rest in my provision, wisdom and grace, and let that be enough."

I seem to wrestle with peace in each new day because there are more things I'd like to be doing physically. I thought my life would look way different than it actually looks right now, don't you?

It's easy to focus on what I wish I could do, or what I wish my life was instead, instead of appreciating all I am able to do. Gosh we are prone to selfishness. Quite frankly there is plenty I can do! I long to get out of the rhythm of measuring myself up against what the world views as "purposeful" or "successful". I know in my head as I am doing that measuring, that it's a waste of time and does me no good. I know the Truth, yet I still struggle.

But today I feel like I can fight against it less.
I can stop analyzing what I think I "should" or "wish" I could be doing and what others might think I should be doing. I can gently remind myself that each day is as it should be for now, and I have the freedom to make it what I can as best as I can. I don't have to try to fix, plan or figure out what lies ahead for me. I can accept that something deeper and bigger is being composed "behind the scenes" of my interior life, and that is a profound, beautiful thing.

Embracing each day with acceptance and grace will get us far. Approaching the day with gratitude, and redirecting our focus will make a huge difference for us. Whatever situation we are in, whether we are stay at home moms with 3 children and we are run down and need a break, or we work FT and come home to a mess, or if we are single, we can re-frame our days so we are able to have peace. That's the cool thing about new days, we can start over every morning.