A Cold Crockpot

I opened the door expecting to be greeted by the tantalizing scent of fajitas that had been cooking in the crockpot for hours.  Instead, my husband met me at the door with a big smile and said, “We’re going out to dinner tonight.” Without a word I followed him to the kitchen to find a cold crockpot full of meat and seasonings. The crockpot was set to low but I’d neglected to plug it in. Now, six hours later, the contents were uncooked and unfit for use.

The waste frustrated me. I spent the money to purchase the ingredients, took the time to assemble them, and then became so distracted that I forgot to plug the appliance in. The cord was lying there on the counter, inches from the outlet. The outlet was working and ready to provide the power and the plug was capable of receiving the power. Unfortunately, I just never connected the plug to the power.

This incident not only provided me with a night out with my family. It also provided me with a very practical example of the importance of staying “plugged in” to the power in my life. As I’ve often shared with you, I am a visual person who learns from practical, everyday examples. It’s no surprise that the God who created me this way would provide me with yet another lesson in a familiar format. Sometimes we can make all the right preparations and attempt to carry out good plans but neglect to connect to the power needed to successful y carry out those plans. Distraction, pride, or simply feeling something is too trivial to require power can keep us from “plugging in.”

I believe that distraction is one of the most powerful weapons we face today. We are busy! Multi-tasking has become our norm. We seek laser focused results while peppering our target with shotgun. A single-minded focus feels impossible when faced with the many tasks at hand. Each day our feet hit the ground running. Sometimes I feel that I’m living my life in fast forward. I’m frequently looking ahead to the next task, instead of focusing on the present. (In fact, as I write this, I am thinking ahead to another blog about “being present.”) The commitments of the day ahead seem so urgent that they lure us away from the power.  Yet, God is clear when HE says, “But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you” (GW). To be too busy to take time to pray and meditate on God’s Word is a recipe for a day filled with frustration and anxiety. We often have things in reverse order, giving the “things” priority. Please understand that I’m not talking about a legalistic set amount of time, but rather about taking time throughout the day to commune with our Creator.

Pride is another sap of our connection to the power.  When we fail to realize that we are reliant on the Lord in all areas of our lives, the result is usually failure and frustration. Jesus said, “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.   When we try to live self-sufficiently instead of humbling ourselves and realizing our sufficiency is found in Christ, our lives become disconnected from the power source.

Feeling something is too trivial to “bother” God with is also a very common reason we fail to plug in to the power we so desperately need. When I find that I’m feeling this way, I remind myself how very much God loves me. HIS desire is a relationship so intimate that I can come to HIM with anything.  I love Philippians 4:6 (GW) which says, ” Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks”  We can take EVERY situation to God, no matter how big or how small.
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The older I get, the more I understand how much I need the Lord. Each morning before my feet hit the floor I pray and ask the Lord to bless me with the wisdom and strength for the day, knowing that I am completely reliant on HIS power.  Sometimes the tasks I face seem insurmountable, and in my strength they are. However, when I connect to the power source, I find that I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

I pray that this encourages you and serves as a reminder to stay connected to the power!

Blessings!

Leslie

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