“I will”
Those two powerful words of choice will make or break our world. Once it’s said, then it’s as good as done. Once it’s visualized, then creation begins and in the doing it’s established.
This came home to me this morning in a unique way.
Turning my head and opening my eyes I woke up to a mess. Shoes pitched all over the floor, unhung clothes, thrown blankets, towels willy-nilly, a sink lined with blue toothpaste, the mirror smudged and spotted, drawers ajar and dog toys on the bed.
I woke up angry! Why do I have to do everything? Why doesn’t anyone pick up after themselves? This is ridiculous!
I grumbled as I threw clothes in the basket, hung up the jeans, threw the shoes across the room, slammed drawers, and wiped down the sink. When it came to making the bed I just wanted to jump back in and start all over again. I moaned and groaned with every little push and pull of the sheets.
I was a boiling, brewing, and threatening woman. My regular, “Good morning, Lord” had escaped my lips. An angry heart is incapable of praise.
Choice. From the moment I opened my eyes I chose. I willed my own attitude. The thought of that scared me so much I ran to my Secret Place—I needed an attitude check.
So I closed the door behind me and with a repentant prayer on my lips I opened His word to Psalm 9:1. The first two words hit me hard: “I will…”
What? He was waiting for me. I felt set up. I must have really needed this lesson. I stopped to think and ponder why. Correction isn’t easy, but it sure is necessary.
I remembered the woman I met on the Internet the day before who lost her husband. She would give up everything to pick up after him and smell his clothes. She would have been happy to feel his breath on her shoulder. I prayed for widows.
Then I thought of a childless couple with empty aching arms. What would they give to pick up toys, put away clothes or look into baby eyes before feeling the slobbery “I love you” kind of kiss? So I prayed for the childless.
I thought of the homeless waking up in the Wal-Mart parking lot. I began to pray for the homeless, helpless and hopeless.
“Thank you Lord, for reminding me of my blessings – reminding me to pray for others. I will choose to praise you and accept what comes my way. I will look to you for my help and any more attitude adjustments. I will, with open hands, yielded heart and relinquished soul, come to the Secret Place ready to learn from you. I will…I will…. I will…”
I laughed out loud because when I left the Secret Place I found a pajama clad husband vacuuming the living room. He gave me that, “We got to do something about this mess look”. I agreed with him as I put the dishes in the dishwasher to the tune of “What a Friend we Have in Jesus.”
I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of Your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your Name, O Most High. Psalm 9:1-2
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your Name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You. Psalm 9: 9-10
