Looking for a job is hard work, fixing a relationship is hard work, sticking to a budget is hard work, getting an education while raising a family is hard work, caring for a special needs child is hard work! We pray about it, we surrender it to God, but then we get distracted from our task! (I know I do.) Many times, we fall into the trap of inactivity. We ask God for help but then expect God to do everything Himself, and we take off. We have all heard the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves”!

I once met with a friend and discussed with him my plans for my job search: I would do this and I would do that. He told me he would follow up on my effort. He went out of town, but shortly after called to follow up on my progress. I was not eager to talk; I had not done all I had committed to do!

Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going into another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone. “He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another and $1,000 to the last … The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping. After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000. His master praised him for good work. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, He told him, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you. Then the man with the $1,000 came and said, “Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned, so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!”  But his master replied, Wicked man! Lazy Slave! Since you knew I would demand your profit, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the $10,000.
Matthew 25:14–16,18–21, 24–28

I don’t want to be the guy who hid the money. I want to be the guy who worked hard to turn a profit, to work the network to find the job, to heal the relationship, to get the education, to meet the budget, to take time to build up my child. So I begin again: list out the Top 5 things I will do today and focus, focus, focus!

So today, Lord, guide our steps as we plan our day, help us to listen to Your voice as You direct us. And Lord, when we fall short, as we sometimes do, let us repent and pick ourselves up and press on. We know You are helping us, and we know that we must help ourselves as well.

Have a Focused Day.