If you’re anything like me, it’s easy for you to get caught in the hustle and bustle before you’re even out of bed. My alarm is on my work phone, so when I pick it up in the morning to shut it off, I check texts, missed calls, and emails before I even have pants on. There are a few things wrong with that.
The first thing wrong is that you haven’t even had your coffee. Whether you start your day with a delicious cup of Black Rifle Coffee or you’re frugal like me and choose the cheaper between Maxwell House and Folgers, it doesn’t matter. You aren’t even awake and out of your bed yet. I’m very adamant that you shouldn’t work in your bed because it’s bad for your brain. Studies have shown the effects that doing work in your bed can have on your sleep, and it’s no bueno.
The second problem is that you’re not even on the clock. Those demanding buttholes, whether it’s bosses, employees, customers, or whatever, can wait a couple of hours for you to get to the office. If their life hinges on you checking emails before you roll out of your bed, you aren’t the only one that needs help. They can wait until you’re “punched in.” Whatever that looks like for you.
The last reason, but really the greatest reason, is that the rest of your day hinges on how you start it. I’m sure that with very little thought you could come up with one morning that went horribly wrong and ruined your day and one morning that started perfectly and the day followed suit. I can think of several examples where I woke up to a text message that sent me into a tizzy before I even kissed my wife goodbye. Our attitudes are pretty fragile, especially before we’re really awake.
Recently, I’ve discovered New Morning Mercies By Paul David Tripp. It’s a daily devotional that was recommended to me by one of the leaders at my Church. He actually read out of it during a small group discussion, which is what caught my attention. It is so well written and not at all like any of the devotionals I’ve ATTEMPTED to read in the past. A lot of people enjoy a devotional, but they are rarely for me. The corny quips and heart warming stories just aren’t my bag. If I’m taking the time to read, I want some meat. I want some walk away. Tripp really does great work of breaking the Bible, or parts of it, into daily bite sized pieces. This really wasn’t meant to be a book review, but I guess you got a freebie out of me.
The real point to all of this is that tomorrow morning, before you get out of bed, don’t check your phone. Get up, brush your teeth, get dressed, eat breakfast, and read a devotional. Read the Bible. Take a few minutes in the morning and ask God what He has in store for you for the day. Ask Him for your daily bread to be a Christian, a father, mother, son, daughter, employee, supervisor, employer, man, woman, nurse, whatever. Whatever it is you do, you need the good Lords breath in your lungs to accomplish it. Why not ask Him to help you be your best version of you? Read Tripps devotional and start your day with some sustenance. You don’t need any help surrounding yourself with negativity, the world does that without provocation. What you do need, is to make the choice to make a change. You can only move in the direction that you’re moving. Passivity is an action. Don’t be passive, change your life, and others, one morning at a time.
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