WEBVTT - A Prayer When Your Mind Feels Pulled in Every Direction

0:00:38.001 --> 0:00:41.440
<v Speaker 1>Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched

0:00:41.501 --> 0:00:45.181
<v Speaker 1>something new. It's called The Good Word, our free weekly

0:00:45.241 --> 0:00:48.120
<v Speaker 1>newsletter built for people who want to go a little

0:00:48.161 --> 0:00:54.011
<v Speaker 1>deeper in their faith. Think devotionals, guided prayers, curated podcast recommendations,

0:00:54.191 --> 0:00:57.311
<v Speaker 1>and a little community all in one place. No ads,

0:00:57.651 --> 0:01:00.091
<v Speaker 1>just good content. This one means a lot to us.

0:01:00.491 --> 0:01:03.271
<v Speaker 1>We built The Good Word based on the audience survey

0:01:03.491 --> 0:01:05.671
<v Speaker 1>so many of you filled out a few months back.

0:01:05.991 --> 0:01:08.571
<v Speaker 1>You told us what you wanted and we listened. So

0:01:08.611 --> 0:01:11.531
<v Speaker 1>thank you truly for helping us shape this. Head to

0:01:11.571 --> 0:01:14.150
<v Speaker 1>the link in the show notes and join our community today.

0:01:14.471 --> 0:01:15.441
<v Speaker 1>We'd love to have you.

0:01:28.920 --> 0:01:31.481
<v Speaker 2>Thank you for listening to Your Daily Prayer, where we

0:01:31.501 --> 0:01:33.681
<v Speaker 2>help you find the words you need to connect to

0:01:33.841 --> 0:01:36.421
<v Speaker 2>your Father in Heaven. No matter what's happening in your

0:01:36.461 --> 0:01:39.171
<v Speaker 2>life today, you can trust that God wants to hear

0:01:39.231 --> 0:01:42.111
<v Speaker 2>from you. Right after this short word from our sponsors,

0:01:42.551 --> 0:01:45.251
<v Speaker 2>we'll pray through today's prayer for when your mind feels

0:01:45.371 --> 0:02:06.911
<v Speaker 2>pulled in every direction. A prayer when your mind feels

0:02:07.031 --> 0:02:11.550
<v Speaker 2>pulled in every direction. Written by Whitney Hopler. Read by

0:02:11.591 --> 0:02:16.451
<v Speaker 2>Leah Gerard. Be still and know that I am God.

0:02:16.870 --> 0:02:19.591
<v Speaker 2>I will be exalted among the nations. I will be

0:02:19.651 --> 0:02:26.051
<v Speaker 2>exalted in the earth. Psalm 46 10. Life gets so

0:02:26.151 --> 0:02:28.811
<v Speaker 2>busy that it can often feel like a race against

0:02:28.851 --> 0:02:32.251
<v Speaker 2>the clock. So many messages compete for your attention that

0:02:32.800 --> 0:02:36.281
<v Speaker 2>You can become overwhelmed. Tasks can pile up until it

0:02:36.300 --> 0:02:39.281
<v Speaker 2>seems like the only way to accomplish everything you have

0:02:39.321 --> 0:02:44.221
<v Speaker 2>to do is to juggle several tasks at once. Multitasking

0:02:44.261 --> 0:02:47.941
<v Speaker 2>can seem productive on the surface. You may feel a

0:02:48.020 --> 0:02:51.861
<v Speaker 2>sense of accomplishment from working on several tasks simultaneously, and

0:02:52.501 --> 0:02:55.101
<v Speaker 2>others may appreciate how you seem to be doing so

0:02:55.191 --> 0:02:58.311
<v Speaker 2>much at work and at home. But the truth is

0:02:59.050 --> 0:03:01.781
<v Speaker 2>that the more you divide your attention around the more

0:03:01.881 --> 0:03:05.720
<v Speaker 2>scattered your thoughts become. Your mind jumps from one thing

0:03:05.781 --> 0:03:08.321
<v Speaker 2>to another when you work on more than one task

0:03:08.341 --> 0:03:13.280
<v Speaker 2>at a time. As a result, your concentration weakens. So

0:03:13.300 --> 0:03:17.240
<v Speaker 2>you're actually less productive when you multitask than you are

0:03:17.281 --> 0:03:20.161
<v Speaker 2>when you focus on just one task at a time.

0:03:21.221 --> 0:03:25.311
<v Speaker 2>Even worse, multitasking brings unnecessary stress into your life and

0:03:25.911 --> 0:03:30.270
<v Speaker 2>steals the peace God wants you to enjoy. Multitasking often

0:03:30.331 --> 0:03:34.180
<v Speaker 2>comes from from the feeling that everything depends on you.

0:03:34.740 --> 0:03:38.271
<v Speaker 2>You rush from one responsibility to another because you're trying

0:03:38.291 --> 0:03:40.791
<v Speaker 2>to keep every part of life moving forward at the

0:03:40.831 --> 0:03:44.571
<v Speaker 2>same time. The more pressure you feel, the more tempted

0:03:44.611 --> 0:03:48.411
<v Speaker 2>you may be to multitask, to try to get everything done.

0:03:49.911 --> 0:03:54.071
<v Speaker 2>God's words in Psalm 46.10 can redirect your attention from

0:03:54.091 --> 0:03:58.351
<v Speaker 2>yourself to God. You can release the pressure you've put

0:03:58.431 --> 0:04:02.401
<v Speaker 2>on yourself because of the mistaken idea that Everything depends

0:04:02.461 --> 0:04:06.501
<v Speaker 2>on your own effort. When you follow God's command to

0:04:06.561 --> 0:04:11.851
<v Speaker 2>be still, your mind can settle into a more focused

0:04:12.311 --> 0:04:16.891
<v Speaker 2>and peaceful state. Then you can remember that God is

0:04:17.071 --> 0:04:21.991
<v Speaker 2>still God and become aware of God's presence with you.

0:04:23.571 --> 0:04:26.161
<v Speaker 2>In this verse, God doesn't tell you to be still

0:04:26.260 --> 0:04:29.880
<v Speaker 2>so you can accomplish more. The purpose of being still

0:04:29.901 --> 0:04:35.270
<v Speaker 2>is is to know God more. God is directing your

0:04:35.311 --> 0:04:39.231
<v Speaker 2>attention away from your performance and back to his character.

0:04:40.041 --> 0:04:42.481
<v Speaker 2>He wants you to know that you can trust him

0:04:42.581 --> 0:04:46.201
<v Speaker 2>to be in ultimate control over the nations, the earth,

0:04:46.941 --> 0:04:52.921
<v Speaker 2>and every detail of your life here. Multitasking tends to

0:04:53.380 --> 0:04:57.440
<v Speaker 2>narrow your perspective until you see only the demands immediately

0:04:57.481 --> 0:05:03.041
<v Speaker 2>in front of you. Being still expands your perspective so

0:05:03.091 --> 0:05:05.571
<v Speaker 2>you can see that your life is part of a

0:05:05.751 --> 0:05:10.891
<v Speaker 2>much larger story that God is writing. When you know

0:05:11.411 --> 0:05:13.851
<v Speaker 2>that God is in control, you no longer have to

0:05:13.891 --> 0:05:16.960
<v Speaker 2>carry the weight of controlling everything yourself. You can give

0:05:16.981 --> 0:05:19.801
<v Speaker 2>your full attention to whatever's in front of you because

0:05:20.601 --> 0:05:23.200
<v Speaker 2>you know you can trust God to handle the outcome.

0:05:24.561 --> 0:05:28.061
<v Speaker 2>You can focus well on one task at a time.

0:05:28.541 --> 0:05:33.121
<v Speaker 2>That gives you valuable freedom You can gradually break a

0:05:33.141 --> 0:05:37.161
<v Speaker 2>multitasking habit. Maybe you start your day with a few

0:05:37.321 --> 0:05:40.640
<v Speaker 2>quiet minutes in the morning after you wake up, thanking

0:05:40.701 --> 0:05:44.390
<v Speaker 2>God for the gift of the day and just enjoying

0:05:44.471 --> 0:05:47.671
<v Speaker 2>His presence before you start working through your to-do list.

0:05:48.571 --> 0:05:51.591
<v Speaker 2>You may choose one task at work or at home

0:05:51.651 --> 0:05:55.011
<v Speaker 2>to start doing on its own instead of doing it

0:05:55.071 --> 0:05:58.521
<v Speaker 2>along with other tasks as you used to and enjoy

0:05:58.581 --> 0:06:01.271
<v Speaker 2>how much better you can do it now. and how

0:06:01.331 --> 0:06:06.470
<v Speaker 2>much less stressful the experience is. Maybe in the evening,

0:06:07.051 --> 0:06:10.891
<v Speaker 2>you give yourself permission to enjoy a wonder walk outside

0:06:10.931 --> 0:06:14.171
<v Speaker 2>where you're paying full attention to what's around you instead

0:06:14.211 --> 0:06:19.031
<v Speaker 2>of looking at your phone. As you multitask less and

0:06:19.171 --> 0:06:24.390
<v Speaker 2>focus more, your days will become less stressful and more peaceful.

0:06:25.190 --> 0:06:29.311
<v Speaker 2>Your priorities will start to change. Instead of trying to

0:06:29.351 --> 0:06:34.001
<v Speaker 2>be As productive as possible, you'll find yourself inspired to

0:06:34.141 --> 0:06:41.381
<v Speaker 2>know God more. Nothing is more important than that. Let's pray.

0:06:43.081 --> 0:06:46.341
<v Speaker 2>Dear God, my life often feels rushed and stressful, and

0:06:46.401 --> 0:06:48.921
<v Speaker 2>I admit I try to handle too much at once.

0:06:49.690 --> 0:06:54.571
<v Speaker 2>Multitasking sometimes makes me feel like I'm accomplishing a lot,

0:06:54.630 --> 0:06:57.091
<v Speaker 2>but I can see the truth now that it just

0:06:57.171 --> 0:07:00.861
<v Speaker 2>scatters my thoughts and divides my attention so I can't

0:07:00.921 --> 0:07:06.961
<v Speaker 2>focus well. Even though it seems like I'm productive, multitasking

0:07:07.041 --> 0:07:09.501
<v Speaker 2>actually makes it harder to get things done because I'm

0:07:09.561 --> 0:07:14.511
<v Speaker 2>constantly stopping and starting. Not only that, but I can't

0:07:14.571 --> 0:07:17.711
<v Speaker 2>experience the peace you want me to enjoy when I multitask.

0:07:18.991 --> 0:07:22.471
<v Speaker 2>Please help me break the habit of multitasking and learn

0:07:22.491 --> 0:07:25.981
<v Speaker 2>to focus on just one task at a time. Teach

0:07:26.041 --> 0:07:29.881
<v Speaker 2>me how to slow down and be still before you.

0:07:31.431 --> 0:07:35.751
<v Speaker 2>Help me release the pressure of trying to control everything

0:07:35.811 --> 0:07:39.410
<v Speaker 2>and remember that you are God and I am not.

0:07:40.171 --> 0:07:43.551
<v Speaker 2>When I'm busy and distracted, draw my attention back to

0:07:43.591 --> 0:07:47.051
<v Speaker 2>your presence. Please show me how to focus on what

0:07:47.491 --> 0:07:50.311
<v Speaker 2>truly matters and give me the courage to let go

0:07:50.351 --> 0:07:54.271
<v Speaker 2>of what doesn't. Give me the confidence that comes from

0:07:54.431 --> 0:07:59.531
<v Speaker 2>trusting you. As I learn to be still, help me

0:07:59.571 --> 0:08:05.151
<v Speaker 2>to grow closer to you each day. Thank you, God. Amen.

0:08:16.531 --> 0:08:19.611
<v Speaker 2>Your Daily Prayer is a production of Life Audio and

0:08:19.711 --> 0:08:23.111
<v Speaker 2>Salem Media. If you liked what you heard today, be

0:08:23.171 --> 0:08:26.941
<v Speaker 2>sure to follow our sister show, Your Nightly Prayer. You

0:08:26.981 --> 0:08:30.811
<v Speaker 2>can find Your Nightly Prayer at lifeaudio.com centered on the

0:08:30.831 --> 0:08:31.671
<v Speaker 2>Word of God and prayer.