I’m addicted to check marks. At any given time I have multiple to-do lists running through my mind or jotted in my planner. Currently I have my work list, my once I get home list, my before school starts back up list, my blog list, my things around the house list, and my shopping list. It gives me great pleasure to place a big, fat check mark next to one of the items on that list. In fact, I sometimes write down things I’ve already accomplished just so I can mark them off! (Am I the only one that does that? Tell the truth…)

Lists are good and they can help us accomplish a lot of things, but they have a downside. They can help us with things we need to do, but they fall short in helping us with things we need to be.

This morning I received a fact check before I even got out of bed. I read a message from a friend that mentioned how she had noticed that I had changed recently. At first I was excited to hear that someone had noticed what God had been doing in me and I started to give myself a big, congratulatory, pat on the back for the progress I have made, (ridiculous, I know) but then God threw reality in my face. I felt Him ask me, “How are you really doing, Donya? You have changed, yes, but are you as close to Me as you should be?”

FACT CHECK.

OUCH.

This quiet question in the early morning pierced my pride and helped me to see what I was missing. I have been so busy checking off things on my list that I haven’t been giving as much attention to the most important thing—simply BEING with Christ. Not being busy serving Him or writing about Him or helping others draw closer to Him. Just being with Him. Sitting outside and looking at the stars He created and talking with Him. Sharing my dreams with Him.

Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t neglected Him altogether. I’ve still been doing many of the things that we say are good to do as part of our relationship with Him, but it has been lacking some of the intimacy that has been there in recent days. His gentle reminder was just the nudge I needed to make sure to set aside my lists for a time today and just hang out with Jesus for a little while.

Are you a list addict like me? What do you do to break away from the to-do and give yourself time to just be? I’d love for you to share in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Mateusz Stachowski www.sxc.hu