The One Key to a Successful Day

How do you define a successful day? By how much you get done?

This is my to-do list for today:

Clean bathrooms
Dust furniture
Do grocery shopping
Finish this blog post

Some days my to-do list is longer. Some days it is shorter. But on all days I tend to think that I am only successful if I have been able to check off everything on that list. I give myself a pat on the back if I am able to finish all the tasks I set out to do.

But I read something today that challenged my definition of a productive day. Read this from the devotional Jesus Calling and hear Jesus’ voice speaking:

Remember that your ultimate goal is not to control or fix everything around you; it is to keep communing with Me. A successful day is one in which you have stayed in touch with Me, even if many things remain undone at the end of the day.

If you’re a Type A person like me, that probably stops you in your tracks. Too long I have tied success to the idea of being productive. But what Jesus really wants us to do is to turn our attention to Him.

Proverbs 3:6 tells us:

Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. (MSG)

Even as we are cleaning the bathroom and vacuuming the living room we can mentally put ourselves in His presence.

Even as we are wiping a child’s dirty face or doing the laundry we can feel His love.

Even as we are peeling carrots and stirring the macaroni and cheese we can listen for His voice and feel His presence.

God is changing my definition of a successful day.

A successful day is not necessarily one where everything on my to-do list is checked off. A successful day is one where I have kept in touch with God moment by moment.