Collect Your Thoughts

I enjoy watching that show Survivor Man on TV. If you have not seen it, and you like adventure, let me encourage you to check it out. The show is about a man who teaches how to survive in the most remote parts of the world with very few materials. He teaches how to make shelters, find food, build fires with no matches, and many other survival skills. Most of his locations are different for each show, but the first step he teaches to survive is the same regardless of where he may be. The first step is "Don't panic and take a survey of your surroundings and resources." He says the mistake many people make is that as soon as they realize they are lost, they panic and begin moving frantically, almost at a running pace, to try to find their way out. But he teaches that all this does is drain much needed energy and could even get you injured with possibly no medical help around for miles. Instead, he says to remain calm so you can think rationally.

Although not as severe, we face every day as a survival situation. From the stresses of work, family, friends, and the thousands of "small fires" that pop up all the time, we can find ourselves in "survival mode" just to get through the day. Perhaps we should take a tip from the Survivor Man. Maybe we should start the day without panic and by getting a grip on things. Instead of rushing out of bed and running through our morning at break-neck speed, maybe we should set our clocks 10 or 15 minutes earlier and spend those few minutes alone in prayer with Jesus. I can tell you it makes a huge difference in my day! I also pray hundreds of time during the day to help me remain calm and to stay focused on the task at hand. Why don't you try it? God can do some amazing things in our day if we just turn the survival skills over to Him.

Proverbs 28:26 says, "He that trusteth his own heart is a fool: but whosoever walketh wisely, he shall be delivered."

Father, thank you for allowing me to depend on you for everything. I have faith that You will lead my steps safely throughout my day. Help me to depend totally on You. In Jesus name, Amen.