All or Nothing

This morning, the words of a song come to mind.  I think they're from the musical "Oklahoma!".  They go like this:

 "With me, it's all or nothin'.  Is it all or nothin' with you?"

I'm discovering in life that sometimes this is the attitude that I need to be taking - like in my relationship with God - but at other times, this attitude REALLY gets in my way!  I'm the type of person that always brings a lot of focus to my activities - often blocking out everything else while I pursue whatever is before me.  While this approach can help me avoid distractions, sometimes those "distractions" are put there for a reason.  Sometimes they are God-inspired.  

One example of this is my new job.  There is so much to do, and my temptation is to put all of my time and effort into it. I've learned to put spending time with God first in my day, but after that I am tempted to do nothing else - not even take time to eat in a healthy way!  God reminds me that this is the attitude that robs me of the joy that he intends for me.  He's given me other interests, and I do not need to focus on one to the exclusion of all else!  I think of this verse from Ecclesiastes:

"In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good." Ecclesiastes 11:6 KJV

To me, that sounds very much like advice to not put everything into one basket - to be diligent, but to diversify my labor. I'm learning to do this, and it is part of what keeps joy in my heart.  Focusing on one thing to the exclusion of all else soon turns what I am doing into drudgery, no matter how much I may have enjoyed it in the beginning.  But when I diversify, I find more joy in all that I do!

Part of the challenge for me is that I can sometimes have difficulty finishing what I start so I've learned to keep going until something is finished.  If I stop, I might not get back to it!  This attitude, however, is just not realistic in many situations. To lead a balanced life, I HAVE to take time for other things as well!  I'm BEGINNING to learn how to do this in a way that works; to set aside time for certain things to ensure I make progress in more than one area.  As I learn this, I feel more of that "joy of the Lord" that is my strength. 

Father, thank you for helping me to see and understand more about what has been sapping my joy.  Thank you for the blessing of multiple interests and things to do!  Instead of feeling overwhelmed at all the directions I need to go, thank you for helping me see them as multiple paths designed to keep me from losing that sense of joy!  Thank you for the joy in my heart, and for the blessing of courage instead of discouragement. Thank you that you will continue to guide me and help me understand better how to diversify my time and attention.  May I be able to discern those times and places where "all or nothing" is required, and to also clearly see when that is NOT the best approach.  And thank you for the people you have placed in my life that help keep me from becoming too focused on one thing!  Father, I am so grateful for your guidance, your love, and your joy in my life!