“Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” -Matthew 6:34

This, among other poignant scriptures, has refined my “method” of becoming a more disciplined individual.  Two posts ago, I shared my obsession with setting 21 day goals in an attempt to make some notable improvement in my character.  As a result, I have simply discovered one more way that man’s attempts are insufficient for overcoming his flesh.

Since the birth of our son, Meyer, each consecutive day has (on average) proven to deliver an equal or greater amount of stress accompanied only by an equal or lesser amount of sleep.  This trend, if multiplied and projected a month ahead, shows a dangerously high amount of stress with only 30 minutes of sleep per night.  Needless to say, making that type of calculation adds stress to the current load, and amplifies the effect exponentially.

This, I have determined (with the third party perspective and input of Pastor Hector and others) is a wilderness experience.  Each day seems to demand a little more strength, endurance, tenacity and perseverance, but allows for less restoration, preparation and motivation.  When you are in the desert, for example, each day feels hotter and dryer, especially when you are not eating, drinking, or sleeping.  The body is weakened.  The mind is confused.

The realization this led to is amazing in many ways, two of which I will divulge here:

1. When in the desert, God provides manna.

2. When the flesh is weakened, battling it is less of a chore.

By considering what life might look like a month ahead (in terms of stress and exhaustion), I am only heaping more weight on to the day at hand.  The beautiful thing is that God provides enough strength for today.  He equips me to endure the trials of today.  He empowers me to tackle my duties and responsibilities tenaciously today.  His manna is sufficient for today.  If I try to store some of it for the next day, it goes bad, and if I try to eat what I have tried to save, it will make me sick.  God’s provision is the perfect amount for today.  Beyond that, I don’t need to worry about it, except to (the next morning) invite God’s provision once again.

“The Spirit wars against the flesh.”  -Galatians 5:17

“The flesh profits nothing.” – John 6:36

With my flesh in a weakened state, I can work more closely with the Holy Spirit to overcome my fleshly desires.  Why spend 21 days trying to make my flesh a little better?  Why work to strengthen my flesh?  “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” – Eph 2:9  Even if I have a shred of success in making my flesh a little better, that is an accomplishment I have made of my own accord, for which I could strut around with my chest out.  If I even begin to believe that my flesh is worth something profitable, it makes the spiritual battle that much more painful.  After all, “the flesh profits nothing.”  By “beating my flesh into submission,” or simply camping out in the wilderness, the opportunity to rely on God today is immediately available.

Having vision and values is a different situation, but it must not trump my daily need for God’s provision.  I am blessed that each day puts me deeper and deeper into circumstances that demand my reliance on God’s provision for my physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.  Praise be to the Almighty God who can provide everything I need and leave me overflowing at the end of each day.