“So, what changed there?”
“Well, I could absolve myself from all other responsibilities.”
“How so?”
“Well, UNICEF had spent a great deal of money flying me to Africa- so suddenly, when I only had one thing to do, life became lighter, simpler, suddenly… free.”
“But, you’ve changed. You’ve become someone you weren’t before. Don’t you think that counts?”
I scoffed. How could I gain credit for being more grounded, focused and steady when I only had one job to do in Africa?
But my friend-mentor pushed me further.
“What can you mine from this toolbox that God has gifted to you?”
I frowned. One day away from being released from quarantine, I shuddered at the thought of being bowled over again by the 6 hats I wore in Singapore.
Then suddenly, an epiphany.
The words that left my word startled me, “Over there, God showed me, that if I can focus on one thing at a time, and be present for one moment at a time, one mission at a time, He can take this flurried, harried burden away.”
“What prevents that?”
“Well, different parts of my work are like my babies and-“
“Wait. Babies?”
Silence.
“Oh dear,” I said, caught red-handed. “But to be a better ‘mother’ to all of my ‘babies,’ I must realize even mothers need rest and healthy distance from their own ‘children’ to be their best selves for them.”
“There, you’ve said it yourself.”
Today, are you stressed out from a million and one things to do, from the many hats you wear? Would you, like me, stop to ask yourself one question?
What is the one thing God wants you to be present for, now?
Is it your children? Then put your emails away.
Is it work? Then put your grocery list away.
Is it exercise? Then shut your email notifications off.
The miracle is- when we focus, undistracted, on one thing at a time, as intentionally as planting a flag, we tell the enemy from afar that he has no space to distract, and what we do has a real chance of being an act of worship to God.
You may have many hats, but try wearing only one at a time. Because not only will you feel a lot calmer, I assure you- your head will feel a lot lighter, too.
