Many of us are so busy during December that we stumble into the New Year in survival mode. Rather than beginning the year with fresh vision and a sense of hope, purpose, and forward movement, we begin where we ended, at a frenetic pace and in a frustrated state, with little fruitfulness to show for it. This is a cycle that’s difficult, but necessary, to break. So, let me suggest that it’s still early enough in 2013 to get a clear vision, make a specific plan and narrow your focus for this year ahead. I want to give you permission to take a mulligan on the first week and challenge you to get a vision for this year during the second week.
You Are Probably Doing Too Much
You feel overwhelmed with how much you are doing and how much more you think you should be doing. Let’s start there. Take a deep breath. Look around you. Understand, you are in good company with the rest of us who live and breathe. Should is a tyrannical dictator that needs to be silenced. If you want 2013 to be different, think about doing less, not more. Doing fewer things all the way is far more fruitful and fulfilling than doing more things half way.
I volunteered for a position at our kids’ soccer club last year and somehow back-doored my way onto the board of directors. I also have some side work I’ve been doing outside of church ministry that brought in some extra cash for our family. In addition to home schooling our 11-year-old this year, Betsy took on a formal position with the PTA that has demanded considerable time outside the scope of her normal responsibilities. Opportunities abound to gain influence in the lives of people which can lead us down a self-destructive road of over extension. We have a tendency to want to pursue all of our potential rather than our particular calling. Pursuing potential results in an inward state of resltlessness and aimlessness which manifests outwardly in a flurry of activity and busyness. This is a chronic issue for me and our family. For me, it is birthed largely by the desire to be everyone's favorite person and a savior complex that leaves me believing if I don't step into every gap than God can't possibly save people. I like to believe He desperately needs me.
Pursuing our calling and ignoring our potential narrows our focus, produces internal peace, and ultimately limits our activity, which paradoxically translates into productivity. This is rare in our current climate and I am convinced it is a signficant way that God's people can live in a compelling and counter-cultural way. I have repented of my sin and last week, producing fruit in keeping with repentance, I resigned from the BOD for the soccer club, put an end to my side work and Betsy stepped down from the PTA. I wonder how many of us need to lay some things down
Time Is Money
As Christians, we all know we are called to be generous with our resources. You may tithe faithfully, support missionaries, or give to individuals and families as needs arise. We would encourage life style adjustments that cut unnecessary, frivolous spending in order to free us up to be more generous. But none of us would urge each other to give away what we do not have. Just as wisdom discourages spending on credit, wisdom prevents us from spending time we don't have.
While we all are entrusted with a different degree of wealth and material resources, God entrusts the same amount of time to each one of us. You and I both get 24 hours every day. We both get 7 days in a week, 4 weeks in a month, and 12 months in a year. The truth is, time is a stewardship issue and we all have necessary expenses of our time if we want to be good stewards.
As a Christian, your first priority must be to cultivate a growing relationship with Jesus. This requires time - time in the Word, time in prayer, time in solitude, time reflecting, time repenting of sin, time giving thanks. If you don’t have time for these things, you are giving away time that you don’t have, and you would never do that with your money.
Your other priorities include relationships, particularly with your family, both your biological and spiritual family. Your marriage requires significant time and so do your children. Your parents and siblings may require significant time depending on the nature and proximity of those relationships. Your brothers and sisters in Christ require time.
You will necessarily give a great deal of time to your vocation as well. For many of you, this priority takes the biggest chunk of your time, especially if you hope to do it well, as unto the Lord. The other priority, neglected by most of us, that demands our time daily, is rest. For a great many of us, we cheat every one of these priorities simply because we cheat rest, leaving us cranky, distracted and lethargic. Time isn't like money in that you can't store it or save it. All of your time will be spent on something, either wisely or wastefully. Free time gets wasted reactively on whatever pops up. Time for rest is intentional and fruitful, but too many of us won't spend time there even though you live in a perpetual state of buyer's remorse. Plan to rest and guard your rest like you would any other planned activity.
Just Don't Do It
Most of us spend a great deal of time on a great many additional things that I’ve not even mentioned. There is much to do and most of us come to the conclusion week after week, year after year, that there is simply “not enough time.” But let me offer a corrective here: God, in his mercy and sovereignty has made the day 24-hours, the week 7 days, the month 4 weeks, and the year 12 months. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that, “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This means that God has given each and every one of us enough time to accomplish and do all that He has called us to do. You do have enough time. But in order for you to do what you are called to do, you must stop doing all that you think you should do.
Saying “yes” to anything always means saying “no” to something else. Part of your vision for this year may be learning to say “No.” Some of you need to learn to say “No” a lot. Being freed from slavery to sin means being freed from sinful impulses to justify ourselves and liberated from the tyranny of what others expect of us. We free to focus on what God has called us, and let his grace fuel our efforts. Take this week to ask, “what am I doing that I am not called to do?” and “what am I neglecting that I can’t afford to neglect?” Busyness is a devil that over-promises, under-delivers, and erodes at your soul. Make some adjustments. Disappoint some people. Put your own expectations of yourself to death. You are free so stop living like a slave.
Discipleship is about trajectory, forward movement, and incremental growth. You won’t grow healthy this year in every dysfunctional area of your life. You won’t be just like Jesus this year, but you can be more like Jesus this year. Ask God for a vision for how He wants you to pursue growth and in what area of your life. Narrow your focus. Do less so you can do it better. Slow down so Jesus isn’t a blur. Stop giving away time that you neither have nor can get refunded. Accept God’s precious gift of time and the limitations he builds into that, which are for your good. To do that, you’ll need to think less about what you should do, and focus more on what Christ has already done. Rather than telling yourself, “get to work”, hear Jesus say, “It is finished.”
