Living Ordinary Lives Extraordinarily Well

Hi Gals!

Let’s ponder two words this week: extraordinary and common.  According to Webster, the meanings of these two words are as follows:

Extraordinary –going beyond what is usual, regular, or customary;  synonyms:  exceptional. Related Words :notable,  outstanding, prominent, remarkable, incredible,

Common – occurring or appearing frequently ;synonyms: normal, typical, everyday, familiar, ordinary,  routine, usual

 I am led to relate these two adjectives to the spiritual journeys we live each day. I truly believe God’s plan for His children is that we all live ordinary lives extraordinarily well…each usual day! I have two Scriptures which lead me in that direction:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)  For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

And from Jesus we hear, John 10:10 (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Jesus wants us to live our everyday lives in a supernatural, extraordinary way.  Then why do so many of us live so many of our days in either a disastrous, frenzied state or with a hum drum “just get through it” attitude?  I want to live the extraordinary, uncommon day, how about you?

Take a close look at Psalm 37. If I were giving this Psalm a title, I would call it The Trust in the Lord Psalm. I’m just going to review the highlights. David gives us four steps we can put into action that will turn our ordinary into extraordinary. 

STEP ONE: TRUST IN THE LORD

Psalm 37:3 (NLT) Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.

Trust is waking up each ordinary morning and putting that day in the hands of the Lord. Trust is recognizing that God knows what is best for me. Trust is going to God’s Word everyday and listening to what God says. Trust is honest communication with God through prayer; through singing His songs; through seeking godly counsel. Trust is having confidence in God even when His work and plan is totally unseen.

Trust means that I depend on God and not myself … for power, for principles, for purpose, for perseverance in my everyday life.   And because of this trust I can do good with my life – with my ordinary day.

STEP TWO: DELIGHT IN THE LORD

Psalm 37:4 (NLT)  Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Take pleasure in the relationship you have with Jesus. Appreciate all of God’s treasures we have in Jesus. Let’s take the time to list just some of our Jesus treasures that we can savor each and every ordinary day:

• TOTALLY LOVED
• COMPLETELY FORGIVEN
• ALWAYS ACCEPTED
• FILLED WITH RESURRECTION POWER
• INVITED INTO HIS PRESENCE ..anytime, anywhere, for any reason
• SET APART AS FAMILY

What’s not to like?  The more I know Jesus the more I experience His grace, compassion, mercy, kindness, patience, and love.  How can I help but enjoy Him?

If I truly take pleasure in the Lord then my number one desire is to know Him better, walk closer with Him, and love Him more. God assures me that I will receive that desire. 

STEP THREE: COMMIT MY SELF TO THE LORD

Psalm 37:5 (NLT) Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

The verb means "to roll off your burden" .  In modern English I define it as entrusting everything to the Lord – handing off the worry, the concern, the control that I think I must have over every detail of my ordinary life. To commit everything to the Lord means I live with God throughout each day.  When I choose to roll my burdens..what weighs me down… I do not have to fret because I recognize that God cares for me; He is equal to anything that happens to me in my day; and He can manage everything – nothing is impossible for my God.  

The opposite of committing everything I do to the Lord is me, complaining, criticizing, and finding fault with the way God is working in my life.  Simply put: committing is “Your will be done Lord”; the opposite is “Why me Lord”?

1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)  Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

STEP FOUR: REST IN THE LORD

Psalm 37:7 (NLT) Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act.

I can hear my mother saying loud and clear, “Be still, Yvonne”!   Silence and stillness doesn’t come easily to me.  Yet, God is telling me very clearly to calm down and surrender to Him.    The Psalmist is telling me the same thing – Be still and WAIT ON THE LORD…He has perfect timing!

Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)
³¹ Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary.

My prayer is today and all our tomorrows will be extraordinary!

Joyfully,

Yvonne