By Christina Semmens

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” ~ Psalm 90:12

Weighed Down With Many Concerns

Are you feeling the weight of all your plans, concerns, anxieties, and problems? If so, take comfort from today’s first reading in the Book of Wisdom, “Who can know God’s counsel, or who can conceive what the Lord intends?”

In the wake of my husband’s passing from cancer last November, I know that I struggled to conceive what the Lord intended for me. However, His Word brought me great comfort, especially as I dealt with all the practical issues that came in the wake of his death.

God revealed to me that my deliberations might be unsure, but His plans for me were not, for He already knew what He intended for me, despite my mind being weighed down with many concerns.

Numbering Our Days Aright

Today’s psalm speaks powerfully about this: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” I realized in the midst of the burden of all my plans and concerns that I needed to number my days aright to gain wisdom.

In other words, I had to put God first.

My husband was a beautiful example of this principle during the last year of his life as he battled lung cancer. Prayer remained the first thing that he spent time doing—even when his energy to spend time every morning became shorter and shorter. He kept serving his Secular Franciscan Fraternity, even when reading and typing emails became difficult and confusing in those last few months. He always spent time with family and friends who came to visit—even if it was exhausting and wore him out.

But he did these things because he knew God was asking him to—and that God would give him the grace and strength to do so.

But the best part of all of that was the peace and joy he gained from putting God first.

My late husband’s model continues to give me the courage I need to keep working to put God first—while turning to the Lord for His guidance rather than relying on myself.

Renouncing Our Possessions

And this brings us to Jesus’ message in the Gospel.

His message can be a really hard one to wrap our heads around. I mean, shouldn’t we love our family and friends instead of hating them?

But that isn’t the Lord’s instruction.

Rather, Jesus is asking us to prioritize Him.

He’s asking us to see reality clearly, and like the builder and the king, to see clearly so we can take the actions necessary to achieve the goal we are pursuing—holiness.

Jesus is asking us to make sure that nothing gets in the way of being His disciple. Not family, not friends, and not possessions.

If we prioritize our relationship with Him, we gain the courage necessary to number our days aright and to gain wisdom of heart.

And when we do, we become open to the life of purpose, peace, and abundance that God has always planned for us.

So, put Him first and gain wisdom of the heart.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for your counsel and wisdom as I strive to number my days aright. Help me learn how to put you first in all things so that I may gain wisdom of heart. Grant me the strength and grace to renounce any possession or relationship or concern that prevents me from becoming an ever more faithful disciple.

Call to Action

Resolve to renounce whatever may be the one thing that is currently your largest obstacle to preventing you from putting the Lord completely first in your life. Make sure to ask the Lord how you might go about doing that so you can experience “thus were the paths of those on earth made straight.”

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