The Principle of Putting God First ~ Give Me Jesus, But Don’t Take My Day Planner

I breathed in the crisp mountain air, ready to have my burdens lifted and my soul refreshed. With my bags stowed and formalities finished, I settled into my seat, ready to feed on the Word of God. Letting go of the stress of life is the reason I attend our church’s annual women’s retreat every year.

The speaker’s voice drew me in with her soft southern drawl, like syrup dripping over hotcakes. I was going to like this one. She spoke of the busy life we women live, how we enslave ourselves to our daily planners and fall apart when our cell phones go miss’n. Her words may have been miss’n letters, but they sure didn’t miss their mark. My planner bulged with meeting notes, calendars, and to-do lists. In my purse were two cell phones, one personal and one business, along with my laptop, waiting for me to find a few extra minutes to work.

After the session, I shared with the speaker how her message convicted me. I showed her my planner, to which she replied, “throw that thing out, sugar, all you need is Jesus.” Okay, that wasn’t what she said, but that’s what I heard.

Give me Jesus, but don’t take my planner. How am I supposed to keep track of my schedule, my notes, and my contacts? A planner is essential to an organized woman. Without one, life becomes chaotic, and I fail. My planner was my identity. It told the world I’m organized, important, that I mattered. And it told me I was a success.

Like a drunk with a bottle, I held onto my planner and used it to build my business and list of contacts, each one a feather in my cap. At the end of the year, my planner served as a diary and memorial to my work. Kept in archives, it proved I could do it all.

Cue the applause! My juggling act now perfected and my life a testimony of dedication to serving God well. But deep down, I was growing weary of my deluded, perfectly planned life. But the applause in my head was too loud for me to stop. Cue the sound of balls dropping.

The name “planner” is a deceitful name. It doesn’t really plan our life, it simply records how we choose to spend our time. It doesn’t care if we spend it on worthless ambitions, or vainglory, but God does. It doesn’t care that our choices destroy a marriage, but God does. And a planner doesn’t care if we neglect our children, but God does. And because God cared, He let life crumble around me to show He had a better way.

In my effort to have it all, I lost friends, family, business, home, even marriage. At age 52, defeated and broken, I drove a U-Haul containing the remnants of my life 500 miles back home to live with my parents. The drive gave me time to reflect on the destructive choices I had made, and with each mile, God’s voice revealed my arrogance to glorify myself.

Maybe your life isn’t as crazy or destructive as mine was, but does it glorify God? That is the real question. A life that glorifies God will balance itself with no effort on our part. None. Why? Because a life that glorifies God is lived according to God’s principles, and it’s God’s principles that do all the work! This is a tough pill to swallow, but the true test of a life that glorifies God is one that is stable, contented, peaceful, joyful, and, most of all, humble. Not just when things are easy, but when things are hard.

When I first decided to live by God’s principles, I struggled because a decision is just a decision until it’s applied. When not applied correctly, we fail, no matter how sincere we hope to glorify God. After years of learning God’s principles, I discovered the secret to a balanced life lies in correctly applying priorities that line up with the Word of God.

As a woman, the Bible is clear that her priority is God first, then her husband, and then her children. Beyond that, whatever she wants in life, regardless of how godly she dresses it up, must come last. Save the “buts”. Your argument is with God, not me.

Does that mean we aren’t supposed to have our own interest, work outside the home, run a business or lead a ministry? No! It simply means those interest must not interfere with the three priorities that are a woman’s true act of service to God.

When we align our priorities with God’s will, our lives become stable. Remember what Jesus said? “My yoke is easy, and my burden light.” My life before was not easy nor light. That’s because I wore my own yoke and carried my own burden. God’s principles are the yoke and God’s will is the burden Jesus spoke of. When we live by God’s principles and do the will of God, we are content in all things because only God and His principles give life and satisfy.

Most women struggle being content with their God-given priorities. We often don’t feel fulfilled, recognized, or appreciated at home, so we seek approval elsewhere. That was me! But seeking approval from people rather than God will lead us down an unbalanced path of self-induced misery. And because God wants only the best for us, He will do whatever and remove whatever to bring us back. It almost cost me everything before I submitted.

Our priority is to put God first. Our love and knowledge of God is our motivation to do this. But we can’t love someone we don’t know, and we can’t know someone we don’t have a relationship with. Reading our Bible and daily devotions, although good and edifying, are like waving to our husband once a day and calling it a relationship. The only way for us to learn of God is through a daily Bible study taught by a God gifted teacher of the Word of God. Only then can our mind transform to the mind of Christ, and just like Jesus, we’ll desire God’s will and approval over all others. (Romans 12:2) (1Corinthians 2:16)

With the mind of Christ, we submit to the Father’s will, just as Jesus did. (Philippians 2:8) We see our husband and children through God’s eyes and discover the high calling of God for women. Like Jesus, to heed the Father’s call requires an act of humility few women will make. But those who do, reap the greatest rewards and glorify God to the fullest. Women who don’t have a husband or children have more freedom for self-interest, but still put God first, as He directs their life. (1Corinthians 7:34-35) Does your life reflect God’s calling as a woman? Is He glorified in your choices?

If you chose to marry, know that your role is of a helper to your husband. This takes priority over both your children and your desires. It’s an easy calling if you love God.

If you chose to have children, know your greatest priority after God and husband is to train your children to be holy. This is an easy calling if you love God.

But know you are not lost in your roles. During the season of parenthood, let God mature and train you in the gift He gave you, so that when your children are grown, your gift is perfected, and you are prepared to glorify God His way and receive His blessing.

Do you want to be a writer? Use this time to learn to write. Do you love to draw? Use this time to practice. Do you love to teach? Speak? Use this time to develop your knowledge and talent. Know that God gave you a specific gift for you to serve and glorify Him, but only according to His plan and perfect time. Waiting for God’s perfect timing requires trust and obedience. And our trust and obedience reflects our love for God.

A planner is not the answer to finding balance in life, nor is throwing one away. But once I submitted to God’s principles and let Him plan my life, God restored all that I lost. And like Job, God gave me back abundantly more, because that’s what He does for those who love Him and follow His ways. I know God’s principles work because today my life is content beyond measure, full of peace and joy that passes all understanding. Every day, I praise God for the blessed and balanced life I now live, all because I submitted to God, the perfect planner.