Do you compartmentalize?

I was thinking about that question this morning. It’s awesome to be organized. I love things organized. I love every detail in place and knowing what is expected of my day, my week, etc. I love those cute plastic containers in my pantry. One for rice. One for cereal, coffee, too. I don’t leave much in its original packaging. The containers look so much better. I label them, of course. My life became less organized with my growing family—out of necessity. It is difficult to manage many lives outside your own. Especially as they become more grown and have calendars, schedules and plans of their own. But by the Grace of God—He reminds me from time to time that I’m still pretty organized considering.

I never knew I could be organized growing up—I had it, but I come from a highly organized detail driven family. I considered myself the “least” in the bunch. Comparison will jack you up like that. It wasn’t until I became an adult I realized I was doing ok in this department.

Something I’ve learned over time is that being organized is good, but being able to be flexible with our plans is better. God is a fan of the “sway”.

The Word says that a man makes his plans, but the Lord purposes always prevail.
(Proverbs 6:9)

This means that when I am seeking the Lord, following His lead, seeking His face He will guide my plans. He doesn’t tell us everything in advance, but He is a Master at “dropping clues”. We follow his clues. Then I wind up right on time just where He wants me to. Every mistake, side track and set back was apart of the process. I still get there and am a better person for it.

I love His mystery. Sometimes I wish He’d just tell me what He wants from me, but then when I keep trying to find the right keys I realize the mystery is what excites me and I find the chemistry. He is not a God of monotony. Thank God!
He is a God of Intense Chemistry! He loves to make connection with humanity.

Sometimes we say we want the quiet organized and predictable life—but do we really? Can the soul be satisfied with this? Can we be content? Is this how the First Century Church we read about in the Bible lived?

All things are possible with God and not all people are wired the same. Despite my efforts to deny it—I am more attracted to the risk taker I find in God than the “play it safer”. There is a time for risk and a time for playing it safe—but all work together.

This is what makes me ponder how sometimes being highly organized can hinder us. We can’t truly live by faith if we have it all under control, organized and together, needing to know every detail ahead of time. The compartments of our life were meant to ROLL together. Also, the compartments of our life are meant to ROLE together. Get it?

For example—I might be highly focused on getting my degree. I need ample time for study. I really want to be healthy and exercise, but I need the time to study so my grades remain high. But when we step back and look at the whole thing, we realize that when we exercise we are more focused and energized and productive. It sets the tone for every other area of our life and then our time is more efficient. When I pay attention to my nutrition, again, I am happier, feel better and am able to focus better. This helps me study better and keep those grades. This is just a simple analogy I’ve made, but can stimulate some areas to explore for areas you may be compartmentalizing a bit when God wants you to unleash potential. You know...”color outside the lines”.

God isn’t like man that he should think, speak or do as we do. He doesn’t operate like us. He is beyond smallness. He is big. He is vast. And His Compass and Gauges are built to last.

No more overthinking. No more losing sight of the big picture because you are hung up on one tiny detail (not tiny to you, but very tiny compared to eternity).

Let go and hang loose! God will help you enjoy the ride and be organized, too!

~Nicole