Every day, we set out to conquer the world, or at least our own to-do list. From the moment we wake up, we begin organizing our time into neat, manageable tasks—things we must do, things we’d like to do, and everything in between. It’s a habit ingrained in us from childhood: lists and plans. Yet, despite our best efforts, things rarely go as smoothly as we hope.
Take my own experience. I start my day with the most ambitious of plans, each item meticulously written down the night before. I mark the priorities, hoping I’ll stick to them. But more often than not, the day slips away, and I find myself focusing on anything but what I had originally intended. The pressing tasks are left to languish while the unexpected takes center stage. And yet, with each deviation from the plan, I find myself scolding my lack of discipline or bemoaning the limited 24 hours in a day. I even pray for help to get it all done.
It’s easy to become frustrated when our day doesn’t unfold according to the carefully constructed plans we have in mind. There are moments when even the simplest tasks seem to slip out of reach. I planned to finish editing an article, but power outages interrupted my work. A trip to the post office became a long wait in traffic, leaving me with nothing to do but wander nearby until I could be helped. And when I finally had some time to read in the evening, an impromptu fish-cleaning session with my husband took precedence.
But then my husband, in his usual calm way, reminded me that these so-called “failures” were, in reality, nothing to complain about. “Your ‘failures’ are mere trifles,” he said. “Look at what you’ve actually done today. Was it really so bad?”
And when I reflect on it, he’s right. Sure, I didn’t edit my article, but I did clean the apartment and, in the process, wrote a poem. While stuck in traffic, I struck up a conversation with a couple from Vladivostok and shared stories about our city’s ancient churches. And when I was forced to wait at the post office, I took a moment to visit a nearby church, say a prayer, and buy a small gift for my goddaughter. None of this was on my to-do list, but it made for a good day nonetheless.
Life, it seems, is often full of detours. And in the grand scheme of things, these deviations might be the very things that shape the richness of our experiences. We plan, we try, but we must also be open to the moments that arise unexpectedly.
There’s a comforting thought that accompanies this reflection: God has plans for each of us too. These plans don’t always align with our own ideas of what we should be doing, but they guide us toward a higher purpose. Perhaps the key to a fulfilling life lies not in checking off every item on our list, but in being present in each moment, embracing the opportunities and connections that arise along the way.
As the prayer of Saint Philaret of Moscow reminds us, “Lord, I do not know what to ask of You. You alone know what I need. You love me more than I can love You.” In entrusting ourselves to God and living for Him, we find true purpose—not in our to-do lists, but in the way we approach each day.
In the end, it’s not about what we accomplish, but the state of our soul. The lists may remain unfinished, but as long as we live with an open heart, seeking to serve and remember God in all we do, we’re walking the right path. And that, ultimately, is what matters most.
Original article: radiovera.ru/plany-na-den-natalja-razuvakina.html