Surviving VS Shaping Your Day
Have you ever reached the end of a day and thought:
“What even happened today?”
“I was busy, but did any of it matter?”
“I feel like I’m spinning—but I’m not really going anywhere.”
Me too.
We wake up tired, reach for our phones, and instantly get pulled into the swirl of everyone else’s priorities.
Laundry piles up. Texts start blowing up our phones. Emails flood in. Social media feeds us someone else’s highlight reel while we feel restless, quietly wondering if we’re missing something.
And before we know it, the day’s over—and we’ve mostly just survived it.
But here’s the truth we often forget:
We were never meant to just survive our days.
We were created to shape them, steward them—with Kingdom intention.
You Don’t Need More “Doing”…You Need Awareness and Surrender
Surviving the day is reactive.
You wake up and let the day happen to you.
You respond, react, scramble, and hope you make it to bedtime without falling apart. (Zero judgment! I’ve been there so many times!)
Shaping the day, on the other hand, is proactive.
It means stepping into your day with the mindset of someone on a mission.
It’s not about having a color-coded schedule or perfect planner—it’s about waking up and saying:
“God, what do You have for me today? Who do You want me to love, serve, encourage, or pray for? Where do You want me to show up on purpose?”
It’s about alignment, not hustle.
It’s about stewardship, not striving.
It’s about remembering that your minutes carry eternal impact—and God is in the details, not just the big-picture dreams.
Kingdom Intention Doesn’t Mean Doing More
It means doing what matters most.
Sometimes shaping your day looks like:
Saying no to the thing that’s “good” so you can say yes to what’s on God’s list for you
Praying over your family while folding laundry instead of worrying
Sending the text that speaks life into a friend
Taking 5 minutes to pause and ask, “What’s really driving me right now—fear or purpose?”
If an unexpected turn in your day happens, you ask God, “How can I be Your light in this situation?” (Because that “unexpected turn” is NOT a surprise to God! He knew you’d be there and He has a purpose for you being there.)
Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”
This is how you partner with God in the middle of your everyday mess.
This is what passionate purpose really looks like. You do not need a platform to really make a difference for God’s kingdom or for those around you.
Because when you live with Kingdom intention, you don’t just check boxes.
You leave Kingdom fingerprints on every moment you touch.
I want to encourage you that you can do this no matter what your current circumstances are.
Please do not misunderstand me. I don’t think you should squeeze more activity into your over-filled days! I’m suggesting you change WHICH activities are in your days and HOW you approach them. Because that is where you will truly find purpose and fulfillment.
You do not need more energy to do this. You would have more energy if you DID do this. I know because I've done it when I was in my lowest energy state.
Surviving vs. Shaping Your Day as a Christian Woman
Let me give you an example.
During the years when I was the sickest, I would have some particularly bad days. The kind of days that make you think: I probably don’t have that many more days here on the earth!
I knew I could not let my mind go down that road. Thinking that way is NOT godly. I had to not only take my thoughts captive, but I had to actively do something to get out of this state.
But I had NO energy.
God had recently given me an anchor phrase from the story of Gideon…
Judges 6:14
The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Am I not sending you?
Go in the strength you have…well, what do I have the strength to do? NOT MUCH.
Text. I can text someone and encourage them.
So that’s what I did.
I did this consistently on my lowest days. EVERY time, the person I texted said something along the lines of, “How did you know I was having a bad day and needed encouragement?”
THEY were having a bad day? I thought that was ME!
Yet God somehow used me powerfully in the lives of the women I would text. And through that, God assumed me He HAS purposes for me in every circumstance. He also brought me so much encouragement and fulfillment in those tiny acts of Kingdom obedience.
I thought I had no energy for what I thought I “should” be doing in my life at that point. Turns out I had EXACTLY enough energy to do what God needed me to do.
You do not need more time, more resources, more energy, or more platform to steward your days the way God wants you to.
You just need more awareness and surrender.
I know some of you are really going through it right now. Don’t listen to the lies that might be popping into your head, like:
“It’s over.”
“It’s too late.”
“Too much has gone wrong, God’s got nothing left for me.”
“I’m too sick.”
Pull yourself out of those lies and take your thoughts captive. Because God ALWAYS has you on His mind. His plans and timing are still in control. Pray, and ask yourself these questions:
How to live with Kingdom intention reflection questions:
What part of my day feels the most reactive right now? Where am I just surviving?
What is one small, Spirit-led shift I can make to start shaping my day with Kingdom intention?
What lie have I been believing about myself or my circumstances that God is inviting me to surrender?
Where might God be asking me to “go in the strength I have”—even if it feels small or insignificant?
Who is one person I could encourage today, even if I feel low on energy myself?
God still has a beautiful purpose for this season, no matter your circumstances.
In passionate purpose,
Dorothy