Priorities Part 1

I have been wanting to post about priorities for a while now, but every time I thought about doing it, it seemed like I had too much to say. But I am going to give it a shot...at least get started anyway!

I am mainly going to focus on prioritizing our time. I don't know if this is the most important way to prioritize, but it is the way that I have learned the most about in my own walk and the way that has borne the most fruit in my life. However, please don't overlook the other ways we show priorities: resources, thoughts, attitudes, I am sure I am missing something! :-)

Almost everyone expresses a "need" for more time. My husband and I always chuckle when we think back to college days. We thought we were "so busy." Ha! We had ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD compared to now. I am not even going to go into our schedules, but trust me when I tell you, we have a lot more on our plates now than we did then. And we both worked more than one job in college while being actively involved in church (leading small groups) and school full time.

Then when we had our first child...same thing...we were "so busy." Then #2 came along. Then the famous saying, "One is like none. Two is like ten." Now we have three and we are outnumbered, but I am sure those who have more than 3 think we have a lot more time than they do. Are you getting the picture? (By the way, please don't "hear" criticism in this post. There absolutely is none...just an attempt to help.) :-)

Also, believe me when I tell you that I am more peaceful and in control of my time now than I was then. What I mean is, I feel a lot more confident that I am accomplishing what He has for me to do on a daily basis. I don't constantly have that "I am behind" feeling like I did then. Now, sometimes I do feel that way but it is usually because I have not been doing what the Lord has told me to do or because I am comparing my accomplishments to others' accomplishments or to what others think I should be accomplishing.

A couple of years ago, I learned a truth that has has revolutionized the way I look at time. Before Jesus died, one of His last prayers included this phrase: "I have finished the work which You have given Me to do." I believe it was Nancy Leigh DeMoss who used that verse to apply it to time management. The truth is that Jesus did not heal everyone or talk with everyone while He was on the Earth. There were many, many "good" things that He simply did not do...and many lonely and hurting people that He did not touch. BUT He did everything that the Father gave Him to do.

Think about that. It's not about what WE think we should do...what seems best to us. It's about what The Father has for us to do in this moment. And, "I just don't have time" simply is not an excuse for not accomplishing what the Lord calls us to. Either it's not His will or we spent the time He allotted on something else. We may have had the best of intentions, but it just was a waste of time.

I love the phrase, "Haste makes waste." It is true on so many levels...one of which is the fact that when we are too hasty to decide to do something without consulting with the Lord, we just waste time. His time.

Speaking of priorities, I need to get back to home duties right now. Let me know your thoughts as well as anything you might like to be addressed on the topic of priorities.

More to come!