Giving Your Day to Christ – Guest Post by La’Shay Crayton

La’Shay (Morris) Crayton and I met in my church in Houston 3 years ago. She had flown in for a conference my church put on; I was always looking for new faces and friends. We connected instantly. Since then, we have FaceTimed, texted, and phone called our way through both of our first dates, engagement dramas, and newlywed growing pains. I asked her to share a paragraph for last week’s post on How to Make Much of Christ in Everyday Life. She shared much more, and it was so good that I decided to just let her have the floor today. Since she’s studying and has worked in the field of mental health, she focuses on our thought life, since that’s where the battle is really fought. But because she also talks about “shifting your day,” a phrase I absolutely love, I decided her message was best summed up in the words, “giving your day to Christ.”

La’Shay Crayton on Giving Your Day to Christ

Between being a newlywed, a grad student for the second time around, and recovering from surgery [prioritizing Christ] has been a huge challenge! Some days are filled with “here we go” expressions mixed with some discontentment and [the thought], “Will I get everything crossed out on my cute to-do-list?”

It’s in those moments that I realize I’m setting myself up for failure. I am a pretty prudent person who plans well and is all about the details.  When I allow negative thoughts creep into my mind and stay, I’m allowing the enemy of my soul to rob me of my joy and my day. But it’s never too late to get on track, and that comforts me. 

The sooner I realign my thought pattern and remember that I have a Father in heaven that has gone before me to prepare my day, one Who has control over the entire universe and One who never leaves me nor forsakes me, the sooner I can relinquish the desire for control.  And the sooner I relinquish control is the sooner that I can step down off my little throne.  The temptation to erect myself a throne of self is always there for Type A people. Well, probably most people want to erect a throne [for themselves].  

In order to combat my ill thinking, my spiritual mom has taught me a valuable lesson. That lesson is to immediately take my thoughts captive. I do this by [keeping in mind] the following steps…

1. As soon as you wake up, prioritize God by giving thanks. 

2.  Don’t be passive with your thoughts.

When negative, non-God honoring thoughts enter your mind, quickly combat [them] with what the word of God says. 

3. Give God your day.

It’s His and it is to be used for His glory. This blows the to-do-list out of the water. 

4. Look to God when the day doesn’t go your way–you can shift your day at any point.

Take every negative thought captive. 

Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain.

Remember that God takes joy in our thanksgiving to Him. In fact, thanksgiving is highly contagious and effective. Studies have shown that giving thanks, regardless of religion or circumstances, has positive effects on one’s Health. What does this tell us about ourselves and what does this tell us about God?

Regarding ourselves, it reminds us that we are forgetful when things don’t go our way. God continued to remind the Israelites of who He is in the Old Testament, because they forgot who God was every time trouble came their way. We do the same thing with God. [Allowing] discontentment and an ungrateful heart is [taking] a huge gamble with our lives. It does not honor God and it does not bear [good] fruit in our lives.  It actually spoils the fruit and it is so evil in the eyes of God…

The choice is always yours, beloved.  Your best is the very start of your day. Will you give God your best?  You always have a decision… 

La’Shay’s website is Living Well and Living Well Loved. Check it out!