Do Everything with Dilligence

Lady of Light

As I listened to Dr. Charles Stanley on Sunday, he told us his mother always said "Do the best you can." He said, "Look your best, try your best, do your best." This is a good motto. It made me think of the word diligent. I decided to look it up in the dictionary and it is a good thing I did because I thought it meant with persistence or perseverance. Actually, it is "to do with painstaking effort and care." Sometimes I have a tendency to rush through things and to do everything with painstaking effort and care is something which I know I need to improve on.

In Proverbs 4:23, it tells us:

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

I now take this to mean, with effort and care keep your heart. This involves confessing our sins and allowing the Lord to cleanse our hearts as He promises in 1 John 1:9, "if we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Praying with our hearts, praising with are hearts and asking God to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as the scripture promises are all part of this too, I believe.

In Proverbs 13:4, it states:

"The soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

I take this as a warning to use diligence.

In Proverbs 22:29, it speaks of the rewards of diligence:

"Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."

As you go through your day, increase your awareness of putting special effort and care in all you do and I know you will be blessed. This is my plan for today.

Have a great day!

Lady of Light