My husband Gerry recently painted our living room. Under normal circumstances, painting a living room isn’t all that big of a deal, but when you consider living room walls extending up to the second story – it’s a big deal.
Since Gerry and I aren’t exactly spring chickens anymore, I tried to convince him that this was a project we needed to hire a professional painter to do, but he insisted that he could handle it. There was no arguing with him; his mind was made up. I was skeptical, but after twenty plus years of marriage, I know my husband is a driven man. Once he’s put his mind to something, there’s no stopping him.
Gerry made sure he had the proper tools and equipment for the project. He gathered paint, rollers, drop cloths, brushes, and a very big ladder. Next, he put a plan together. He didn’t just jump ahead and begin painting at random. He took some time to decide which walls were best to begin and which were best to end. Then he split the project into more manageable pieces, tackling one wall at a time.
Sometimes we become overwhelmed with a project because we keep focusing on the whole picture rather than taking one step at a time. Each step, however small, brings us closer to the finish line.
“If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm:” (Psalm 37:23)
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Take your focus off the end result and concentrate only on what you can do today. Make sure you have the proper tools, put together a plan, and divide the project into smaller, more manageable segments. Before you know it, your overwhelming project will be on its way to completion—just like our living room.
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3)
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)
