Do you ever feel short of time? Find yourself rushing?
Might life be easier if weeks were 8 days long?
Is time your enemy or your best friend?
I’m in a season where I seem to be rushing from place to place, meeting to meeting. Daphne is the same. Why does God set our schedules like this?
The truth is of course that it wasn’t God who filled in my diary and gave it to me as punishment, saying ‘enjoy’! He didn’t write yours either.
This is self-inflicted pain! ‘I have met the enemy, and the enemy is us’, as the saying goes.
When we consider the pace of life, particularly if we have young children, or are involved in leadership/ministry, we would do well to look at Jesus. Yes, he was living in a different age, with a far slower pace. Yet he was delivering the greatest ministry
ever known in eternity.
Does Jesus seem pressured to you? It would be understandable if he was, but that’s not what we see. Actually, we see Jesus who is quietly in control of time. Who enjoyed downtime with the rough and ready; days out with friends – think Bethany;
personal quiet time away from the crowds, and retreats with the twelve. Heading in a purposed direction yet always stopping for the one in front of him. Think Zacchaeus, Bartimaeus…
What lessons can we learn from looking at Jesus as the Master and ruler of time?
- How about – slow down?
There is a world of difference between being driven and being led. Which of those words best describes your schedule?
If you are driven, repent – make appropriate changes – and come back to sanity by walking in step with the Spirit and being led by him. - Accept that God’s love for you is personal and totally not performance based.
Wow! I don’t have to push through, drive forward, excel, in order to be loved and accepted. Jesus takes me as I am! - Take time out. Be kind to yourself, to those that you love, and with friends. Value them all by giving them precious time.
- Don’t allow your ego, pride, or insecurity, lead you to worshipping a full diary.
Don’t put such a terrible yoke and burden on your neck. If it’s already there, take practical steps to discard it and change the future for the better. - Don’t take yourself so seriously. Jesus had time for joy, laughter, parties, friends, travel (by foot). So should you.
- Enjoy life! It’s a gift of God to be treasured and explored.
And finally – let me know what else you learn about managing the pace of life. Drop us a line, mail@roygodwin.org
Blessings,
Roy