The Undivided Heart

"Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will follow your truth. Give me a heart that doesn't want anything more than to worship you." - Psalm 86:11 (NIRV)

It is easy to get into the habit of compartmentalizing your life during your college years. I know...I did just that as a student. I started each week with a "Master Plan." It was beautiful. Daily tasks for school were listed under each day. There were separate boxes for friends and social activities to plan and yet another for my walk with God. I thought that in order to get everything done, I needed to put things into categories: school, work, friends, God, etc. The hope was that by creating this list, I'd give enough to each area to feel as if I was living something resembling a balanced life. But no matter the master plans and the best of intentions, it rarely happened. Oh, I might very well mark everything off my list, but there was an emptiness and a frustration to such a way of life.

Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with getting yourself organized. I still delight in marking things off my "To Do" lists each day/week. I sometimes write things down just so I can mark them off! It makes me feel like I've accomplished a little something for the day. It is nice to be able to look at the day and see where the hours went. I'd encourage you to make some lists of your own and see if you don't have a more productive day/week yourself!

However, I have learned that there are risks involved in this kind of life. If I become too bound by my lists, my relationship with God and with others tends to suffer. Quiet times become just another thing to mark off the list as done. Prayer becomes demanding. Time with friends and with God is reduced to something resembling scheduling an appointment. Looking at it that way (however subconsciously) makes it easy to postpone.

So, what is the solution? Get rid of the sacred "Master Plan" or "To Do" list? Not necessarily...

The solution is to stop compartmentalizing. Integrate your life. Have an undivided heart. Live with your eyes turned to God no matter what you are doing. Studying. Sitting. Praying. Walking. Talking. Relaxing. Everything.

We really should do what the Psalmist said and live our lives in worship and praise to Him. Our relationships, our studies, our rising and our laying down should reflect our love for God. For that to happen, our lives must be integrated, undivided. If you want a kick start to integrating your life, begin in the Psalms. Start with Psalm 86, even. Make the whole thing or even a part of it your prayer for the week.