Teach Us to Number Our Days: When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12, NIV).

Snow falls heavily—a white veil making our world feel close and small for the morning. After the school calls off classes for the day, after the eight-year-old loses another baby tooth, and after an argument over the TV, I close the bedroom door to pray.

“Father, how would you have us use these unexpected hours together?” I pray.

I had plans to meet with friends, work on a writing project, and take the youngest to the dollar store.

Never one to embrace interruptions, this snow day has thrown me for a loop.

I watch the snow caress the spiny fingers of the spruce boughs out the window, and the words fall softly with the snow: “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Teach Us to Number Our Days

These words have been on the tip of my tongue since I added Nichole Suvar’s book Numbering Our Days to my morning devotional time.

Nichole is reminding me to keep my eyes fixed on the eternal. She’s reminding me that the troubles and cares of this world will one day pass, and we are called to live in light of eternity.

After looking up the Psalm and sitting with the words awhile, I know what the Lord is asking of me.

I can grumble my way through this day and lament everything I wish I were doing. Or I can receive this snow day as a gift.

There will only be so many snow days with these children.

From my vantage point here in the middle days of motherhood, it feels like this season will last forever, but it won’t. There are only so many days to set aside the schoolwork, pull out the red plastic sleds, and make snow angels in the yard.

I have a choice. I can embrace this blessing, or I can continue to push back against my reality.

A Gentle Reminder for Every Weary Woman

Perhaps you need this reminder in some realm of your life as well.

Maybe you’ve grown weary from caring for an aging loved one. You’re weary from being needed at all hours of the day and night.

Dear friend, let me be the first to say that your weariness is real, and it’s hard. There’s no way around that.

You might feel like your work is unseen and unappreciated—like no one understands.

Ever so gently, may I remind you that your heavenly Father sees your efforts. And he wants to remind you that this is a season. It will pass. There are only so many more days. A time will come when your loved one is gone, and this will bring a bittersweet combination of relief and sadness.

Your role today is to remember that these days are numbered and to embrace the good moments. No one’s asking you to cherish every moment, but something will go right today. Something will be beautiful. Embrace the good gifts. These moments won’t last forever.

Encouragement for Working Women

Perhaps you’re worn down from juggling the commitments that fill your days. Keeping up with your job, your home, your relationships, and your social schedule is exhausting you.

Dear friend, will you pause to consider that you only get so many days, and you don’t know how many days remain?

It’s worth stepping back to assess your schedule and determine whether this is truly the life you want to live. If you had only three more days, how would you live them? What would you do differently?

Would you back out of the commitments that don’t really matter and sit a little longer for coffee with a loved one? Would you look into the eyes of a loved one and hug her a little tighter before walking away?

Why We Need the Lord to Teach Us to Number Our Days

Most of us would make at least a few adjustments if we knew our days were short.

Meanwhile, we’re overlooking this: Our days are short.

We are called to live these days well.

To laugh deeply, love bravely, pray boldly, listen closely, embrace tightly, and breathe slowly.

We are called to embrace God’s good gifts—gifts like children making snow angels, brisk winter mornings with the sun shining golden through the pines, and warm meals gathered around tables with loved ones.

~~~

As for our snow day, we bundle up and head to the woods. We build a campfire, make s’mores, and slide down the steep valley wall. We return home for sledding in the yard and snow angels.

It’s not the day I had planned.

By the grace of God, it’s better.

The next time God interrupts your plans or you find yourself dreading a long day of humble work, pray this prayer, “Father, teach me to number my days. Give me a heart of wisdom so that I might see this day in the light of eternity.”

He will answer your prayer.

A Free Devotional for Every Weary Woman

Lastly, I have a gift for you. Would you like to connect with God in ways that breathe fresh life into your weary soul? The Weary Woman’s 20-Day Devotional is my free online devotional to help you connect with God in your worn and weary seasons. You will find 20 daily readings to help you find refreshment in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today!

Use Your Days to Invest in a Younger Woman:

Lastly, in addition to writing to adults, I am also passionate about ministering to the next generation.

My 12-year-old daughter Bekah and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book together, and it is designed to help moms and daughters connect and grow in faith together. It’s called Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a journaling section. We had a blast writing it, and we are so excited to share it with you. Our vision is for girls ages 7-17 to enjoy it with their moms, grandmas, or older women they look up to.

You can buy your paperback or eBook on Amazon right here. This book also makes a powerful gift for the mothers and daughters you care about! We encourage you to check it out!