Do what lies clearly at hand

​You want to know one of my most backward prayers? It goes something like this. God, if you'll just let me know what the future holds for me - just give me a sign, God - I'll know better what to do today.

Oh, you show me my tomorrow God, and I'll rock your today. Just watch and see.

And God's answer? Quit making frickin excuses.

The greatest excuse in my life for not doing what is clearly at hand today - it ranks right up there with not being able to fix yesterday - is my inability to see what lies dimly at a distance.

Running has taught me that. Early as a runner, training for a big race, thinking ahead to race day, that often became a great excuse not to run this day.

Will I be able to run that far? What will the weather be like? Will I be injured or healthy? Will I make the cutoffs? Will I finish first or dead last?

The reality about all of those questions? Sitting on a couch pondering them was sometimes easier than getting up and doing exactly what I knew needed to be done that day.

And, that is run.... Get off the couch and go run.

I've battled this week. (Thank God it's Thursday!!) At the core of that battle, though, as I think about it this morning, is exactly this quote I've shared with you.

I've spent a lot of time this week squinting, forcefully staring into the distance at that dim view, trying with all my might to bring that speck of a view of the future into absolute focus.

I'm not trying hard enough, looking long enough - that's why I can't see the future. That's my problem, right? That's my struggle. I don't know what tomorrow holds for me - and it's because I'm not trying hard enough to figure it out.

I dont' know about that, but I do know this. I almost always know something meaningful I can do with my right now. I can almost always come up with something that will better shape my life now than trying to figure out the ultimate shape of it down the road.

I can go for a run without knowing what will ultimately come of that run - and I've suddenly done more to figure out my future than wondering about it.

I can write a blog post without knowing who is going to read it - and I've suddenly done more to figure out my future than wondering about it.

I can Facetime my boys for 5 minutes today without knowing if they will love me forever when they're in their 20s - and I've suddenly done more to figure out my future than wondering about it.

I can be a good relationship today without knowing if the relationships I long for will be there tomorrow - and I've suddenly done more to figure out my future than wondering about it.

Doing the things that are clearly at hand, it's actually a double winner. Not only are you actually doing something that shapes your future in the direction you'd like to see it go, it's also the best way to distract yourself away from the worry that it will never go the way you want it to.

If you find yourself staring at something dimly in the distance today, keep moving. Don't stop - don't stare.

As you walk away, ask yourself, what is clearly at hand, what can I do right now?

Then do it.