Routines

Sometimes I think routines can be a snare, for many reasons... remember, I said sometimes.  I think routines or schedules can be good for a time for someone who has no self-control in their lives and wastes their lives with laziness and sin.  It could be a way for them to make a feasible plan to fill their days with productivity and truth.

However, I was contemplating routines and schedules for myself.  How they can sometimes becomes overpoweringly selfish.  You focus your day, your life, around the plan you have laid out.  It can even simply be what you've planned for dinner for the week.  I know for me, when I get on a routine, I don't want anything to interfere [or eat my food, etc.] and if something does get in the way, my mind is thinking about when I can get back to my plan.

What happened to a man makes his plans but the LORD directs his steps?

I think routines can often keep us from the leading of the Holy Spirit.  We already have something set in our minds about what we will do with our time and resources, and that's the final say.  We get so determined to finish what we set out to do or see the result we want to achieve.  Like when I was doing the Jillian Michaels' Ripped in 30 program.  I was very committed and desperately wanted to see results.  I followed her even followed her eating plan.  The first week I spent way over my normal budget for food.  I would get up early to workout and if I missed in the morning, I would do it at night, nothing would make me miss my workout.  I could see myself becoming a little obsessed with not only my routine, but with the results.  It became very hard at times to give up those things for something else, for people, for Jesus.

I think it's good to have order, but I know that I need to be careful not to go overboard, but remain submissive to the Spirit.  Life is NOT about order and about having everything together and perfect.  What we DO need to perfect is our faith, our love, and the only person who can do that is Jesus the Christ.