WEBVTT - A Prayer When Your Daily Routine Feels Meaningless

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<v Speaker 1>Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer,

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<v Speaker 1>where we help you find the words you need to

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<v Speaker 1>connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening

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<v Speaker 1>in your life today, you can trust that God wants

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<v Speaker 1>to hear from you. Right after this short word from

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<v Speaker 1>our sponsors, we'll pray through today's prayer for when your

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<v Speaker 1>daily routine feels meaningless. A Prayer for when your daily

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<v Speaker 1>routine feels meaningless, written by Tammy Darling, read by Lea Gerard.

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<v Speaker 1>You do work at it with all your heart as

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<v Speaker 1>working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you

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<v Speaker 1>know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord

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<v Speaker 1>as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

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<v Speaker 1>Colossians three twenty three through twenty four. When my husband

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<v Speaker 1>inevitably asks each evening, what are your plans for tomorrow?

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<v Speaker 1>There is little variance in my answer. Laundry dishes. Write

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<v Speaker 1>an article. You know this and that some days it

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<v Speaker 1>brings tears to my eyes. Don't misunderstand I am grateful

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<v Speaker 1>for these things. I give thanks that I can wash

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<v Speaker 1>laundry in a washing machine instead of beating my clothes

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<v Speaker 1>against a rock at the creaker, even using a ring

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<v Speaker 1>er washing machine, as I help my aunt do so

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<v Speaker 1>many years ago. I'm thankful that I have a dishwasher

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<v Speaker 1>that makes that job faster and easier. And I love writing.

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<v Speaker 1>Even the pay for freelance markets has plummeted in recent years,

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<v Speaker 1>I am grateful, though many days what I do seems

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<v Speaker 1>so meaningless. I mean, what's really happening when I'm doing

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<v Speaker 1>the dishes and taking care of the laundry, sort, wash, dry, fold,

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<v Speaker 1>put away again and again day after day. The monotony

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<v Speaker 1>gets to me sometimes, and because the daily routine feels

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<v Speaker 1>so meaningless, I tend to seek out things that entertain me,

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<v Speaker 1>such as scrolling through social media, watching a movie, and

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<v Speaker 1>swimming in my heated pool. Distraction is the enemy of

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<v Speaker 1>the soul. I don't need a distraction from my routine.

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<v Speaker 1>I need to embrace it for the gift it is.

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<v Speaker 1>Nothing done for the Lord is meaningless. Our lives are

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<v Speaker 1>in the ordinary days, the days where nothing spectacular happens,

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<v Speaker 1>but faithfulness expands nonetheless. And while it's possible to move

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<v Speaker 1>from sunrise to sunset without ever becoming fully present to

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<v Speaker 1>the day, I don't want to do that, because that's

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<v Speaker 1>precisely what causes a routine day to become meaningless. Living

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<v Speaker 1>on autopilot isn't truly living at all. Busyness isn't the

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<v Speaker 1>answer either. Doing does an equal being. Productivity may even

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<v Speaker 1>be at an all time high, but I can still

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<v Speaker 1>fall into bed and think along with Solomon Ecclesiastes one

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<v Speaker 1>one meaningless, meaningless, utterly meaningless. Everything is meaningless. Pity party aside.

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<v Speaker 1>I am coming to realize that not every day has

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<v Speaker 1>to have fireworks to be stunning. Life is beautiful and

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<v Speaker 1>meaningful no matter what the day holds. When my children

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<v Speaker 1>were young, I learned experientially that kids thrive on routine.

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<v Speaker 1>As adults we shun it. When did that shift occur

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<v Speaker 1>and why? I believe we've bought into the lie that

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<v Speaker 1>for life to be meaningful, it must be successful. But

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<v Speaker 1>by whose definition of success, Societies or God's. A day

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<v Speaker 1>spent doing dishes and laundry with a focus on God

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<v Speaker 1>is a day well spent. When we worship, pray, and

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<v Speaker 1>praise while doing the monotonous everyday stuff we call routine,

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<v Speaker 1>intimacy with God deepens, faith grows, and our love for

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<v Speaker 1>God increases. A day can easily disappear if we let

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<v Speaker 1>it moments never before seen or to be seen again,

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<v Speaker 1>happen in the present tense, and if we're not present,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll miss it. Even the routine and mundane carry possibility

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<v Speaker 1>that will not pass our way again. Here's the thing.

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<v Speaker 1>If your schedule stays full but your soul stays empty,

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<v Speaker 1>meaningless is the word you'll use to describe your life.

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<v Speaker 1>And before long, complacency becomes apathy, and apathy becomes a

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<v Speaker 1>meaningless life. Perspective becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. But God

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<v Speaker 1>says that whatever we do, when we work at it

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<v Speaker 1>with all our heart as working for Him, will receive

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<v Speaker 1>a reward. He further reminds us that we are serving

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<v Speaker 1>the Lord Christ. When our perspective shifts, our soul refills.

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<v Speaker 1>Routine days are never meaningless when we go about all

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<v Speaker 1>we do with the Lord at the center of it all.

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<v Speaker 1>And that kind of meaningful life requires attention. It requires

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<v Speaker 1>that we think upon all things Philippians. For as it

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<v Speaker 1>means that we stay close enough to God to recognize

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<v Speaker 1>his continual presence, it demands that we never forget to

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<v Speaker 1>live deliberately. Awareness of our daily routine gives us the

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<v Speaker 1>wisdom to choose while we're waiting for a significant life

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<v Speaker 1>God gives us today. This day is significant, This day

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<v Speaker 1>is meaningful. This day is a stewardship to receive and

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<v Speaker 1>walk out life becomes faithful and full in the ordinary.

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<v Speaker 1>It's the quiet, repeated steps that enable us to walk

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<v Speaker 1>through the fire when that day arrives, and through it

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<v Speaker 1>all we walk by faith, one god focused, attentive day

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<v Speaker 1>at a time. Let's pray, Heavenly Father, thank you for

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<v Speaker 1>the dailiness of life, even in the routine and mundane activities.

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<v Speaker 1>You're there. May we be ever reminded of your faithful

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<v Speaker 1>presence and work in our lives. And whatever we do,

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<v Speaker 1>may we do it with you in mind for your glory,

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<v Speaker 1>in humble gratitude for this day. Amen. Your daily Prayer

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