Ordering My Day

GETTING GOD'S HELP I know it's time to present my schedule to the Lord whenever I feel confused and pressured. I sit down with paper, pencil, and a cup of coffee, and in prayer ask God to tell me what needs to be done that day, and what needs to wait. I write down all the things that seem to be urgent and pressing anything that is clamoring for my attention and for each of them I pray, "When is the best time to do it?" As I listen with my mind and heart yielded to him, he shows me what my real priorities are: Perhaps the clothes to make for the children can wait until next month, but the prayer needs of a friend are truly urgent; my preparation for a talk I'm giving to a women's group can be done next week, but the special craft project for someone's birthday must be done today. As I then understand the appropriate "season" for each item on the list, I relax. Taking time to pray and plan has enabled me to gain God's perspective. Each person's schedule will be unique. Here's an exercise that can help you learn to think seasonally: First, make a list of the duties you believe the Lord wants you to fulfill in the next five years. This could include making the most of ministry opportunities, improving certain relationships, and so on. Second, make another list of skills or abilities you would like to develop in the coming five years. Third, ask the Lord to show you what his priorities are for you in each of the next five years as you pray over each item on both lists. Record his answers on a five-year calendar. This may mean that some desired pursuits will have to go on the back burner. For example, a mother of young children may need to limit the development of her artistic gifts for now, but these can blossom in future years and glorify God in a unique way. Fourth, use the same process to determine the emphases and priorities for each of the next twelve months, and record these on a calendar. This approach can even be employed on a weekly or daily basis. A homemaker may decide to set up a schedule like this: Monday - housework; Tuesday - discipling and fellowship; Wednesday - laundry & special cooking; Thursday - shopping; Friday - personal Bible study; Saturday - family activities; Sunday - worship and rest. An adult's evening schedule could include Bible study on Monday, creative projects on Tuesday, family time on Wednesday, and so on. All this doesn't mean, of course, that a housewife reads the Bible only on Fridays, or that parents talk at length with their children only on Wednesday nights and Saturdays. Rather, it's a way of planning that unclutters our minds and ensures the accomplishment of priority tasks each week. REFRESHMENT Finally, decide when you'll spend extra time both in resting and in being alone with God. This fifth item is important because one thing remains constant in all seasons of life: the need for periods of rest and for periods of quietly listening to God. In the Old Testament, God emphasizes the importance of resting on the Sabbath. And in the New Testament, Jesus Christ, the perfect Man, gave us the example of frequently drawing away from the press of activities to spend time in prayer. These times are not a luxury, but a necessity. They help us gain the strength to do God's will, keeping us from exhausting ourselves uselessly and shortening our days. Paul Tournier observed, "Our outward life is a reflection of our inward life," and warned that "the worldliness of restlessness and fear have crept into our Christian lives." I love a certain line that was written about a godly woman: "She knew how to wait." When we feel overwhelmed by time's limitations, let's ask the Lord to teach us how to wait. Then we will see how God "has made everything beautiful in its time" (Ecclesiastes 3:11). (P.S. Sorry about the run on post. I can't figure out why since the new format I can't get my posts to separate paragraphs! Argh!)