Sound of Surviving Blog

I read a quote today that, despite being only 4 words, was extremely powerful. It read: “Do the next thing”. I think the reason it stood out to me was that, something I struggle with, having a chronic condition, is fatigue. There are days when my to-do lists seem like too much, when just thinking about all the things I have to do sends me into an overwhelming state of exhaustion.

This week is the week before Christmas, and my to-do lists for each day seem impossible, with all the things I need to do before Christmas for myself, my family, and friends, stacked impossibly high on top of my normal daily tasks. Then I read the quote, “Do the next thing”, followed by the reading of my devotion, which talked about Mary being told by an angel that she would bear the son of God. I can’t imagine how flabbergasted Mary must’ve been, how overwhelmed and terrified she was by this news.

If I had to imagine Mary as someone who made up to-do lists from when she heard this news to when she gave birth, hers probably would’ve looked something like this: 1. Comprehend what the angel had just told me, 2. Figure out how to tell Joseph I’m pregnant. 3. Prepare for a baby and for becoming a mother, 4. Travel to Bethlehem for the census 5. Find a place to stay, 6. Give birth to Jesus. (And that’s just the shortened list) When the angel appeared to her, Mary was frightened at first; we know this. But she kept moving forward even after the angel appeared. She did each of these things, one at a time, one after the other, the same way we do things.

You see, we weren’t created to be able to do everything all at once. And, we weren’t created to do these things all on our own, and neither was Mary. We, and Mary, have Jesus walking with us. His name, Immanuel, literally means, “God with us.” So, when you’re already exhausted, and then you realize you have a truckload of things that need to get done, just pray to God to give you the strength to do the next thing on your list. He is with you, always. He will never leave you or forsake you. He will give you the strength to carry on, to do the next thing.