Pacing, Ordering My Life, and Being Disciplined

Pacing back and forth, ordering my life, and practicing discipline-these personal ac-
tivities characterize my life in these most recent days. Daily I experience God's pro-
vision, guidance, and presence; but there are times now when I am on the verge of
freaking out or feeling discouraged. The Lord has blessed me with restful sleep, but
I must admit that anxious thoughts often wake me at the dawn of a new day. Favor-
ite texts from the Psalms I have memorized are a comfort to me as I wake up. Get-
ting up and out of bed is easier when I realize that I face the reality of the Father's
world rather than the dread and fears that were streaming up from my untamed sub-
concious mind while I slept. It helps if I remember the people and provisions that
God has brought my way. That makes all the difference in the world.

I find myself pacing back and forth throughout the day. As I pace I often think about
what I am going to do that day and how I will do it. Lately I have been wondering
what type of accommodation I will find for the next ten months before returning to
Scotland. Ministry opportunities and how I will support myself financially also occu-
py my thoughts as I pace. But sometimes I turn off my mind and pace just for the
sheer pleasure of pacing. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't pace!

It is useful for me to plan each day. At the beginning of the day I record what I did
the previous day and then plan what needs to be done that day. I became quite ser-
ious about it two years ago when I was assistant minister at the Old Parish Church
in Cupar, Scotland. Since then I have developed it further and have found it helpful
in bringing some sense of order out of the turbulent times I am in. This helps me to
prioritize my time and focus on what needs to be done. I rarely do everything that I
had planned for that day, but I would not want to see how wasted the day would
have been if I had not had a plan.

The death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ serve as the firm
foundation of my life. As I put my trust in what God has done through Jesus, I ex-
perience the new life that is found only in him. The old way of life has gone and the
new way of life has come. I seek to order my life so that it is in sync with God's new
order that is established in Christ Jesus. Discipline is essential for living this new
creation life that Jesus gives to us. One sense of discipline refers to God's discipline
of his sons and daughters whom he loves. I have often experienced this discipline
throughout my life as a believer. There is also the the sense of discipline that refers
to the discipline of conducting my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ. This means I
seek to live in relationship with the personal and loving Lord God. Just as I find it
difficult to miss even one of three daily meals, I impoverish myself and wither away
if neglect daily Bible reading, prayer, communion with God,and service in Jesus'
name. As a follower of Christ, I seek to order how I live each day and to practice
the disciplines that draw me closer to the Lord. I desire this way of life, even in the
midst of the trying times I am currently encountering.

Blessings to you and yours,