God-time
26th July 2010 by Julia Hosking
Do you ever sit back at the end of the day, reflect on what you have done, and think "where did my day go?" Who am I kidding – I'm sure we have all been there!
We live in such a busy world, everything is fast-paced, we have so many options to chose from and we are always pushing ourselves just that extra bit further ... Sometimes even so far that we burn out! You know what I'm talking about, right? But we do it anyway, despite what anyone else says, despite the ramifications physically, emotionally and mentally, we 'push through'.
When was the last time you looked at everything you do? I challenge you now: get a pen and paper, and write it all down.
I challenged myself with this and with all honesty, at first, I refused to do it. I had this battle going on: "God, no!" "Toniele, yes!" "God, no!" ...
The truth is, I didn't want to do it, because I knew I was doing too much and I knew in my heart and in my spirit, that I wasn't giving God as much time as I could.
He misses you
It's a hard reality to face isn't it? Sometimes we don't even know we do it. We wake up, get ready to go to work or school, do so, come home, go to meetings, go to practice, be a mum or a dad, a husband or wife, a church leader, a ministry leader, plan the weekend, have a social life, cook, clean, study ... And I'm sure there is more!
I ask you this – where in there is God's time? Just you and him? God ministering to you? And this is where it hurts, we know it could be more; we know it could be better. But by the end of the day, we are too tired, right? I firmly believe that without "God time", we couldn't do half of the things we do, let alone do them well.
My pastor recently challenged me with this and gave me some lyrics to an older song, by Larnelle Harris. Some of the lyrics are: "I miss my time with you, those moments together. I need to be with you each day and it hurts me when you say you're too busy. Busy trying to serve me but how can you serve me when your spirit's empty. There's a longing in my heart wanting more than just a part of you, it's true I miss my time with you."
A word of thanks
I am reminded of a verse in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 "We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ."
As a sister in Christ to you, I want to say this: thank you. Thank you for all that you do, thank you for your time, your energy, your faithfulness and your service – establishing God's Kingdom here on earth. But please, please make time for God – on top of the good and faithful works you do.
He has so much more he wants to do with and in you, but he wants your time, your love, and for you to listen to him, first! Through this, fruits will bear, your cup will overflow and he will bless you with rest.
Strategise to prioritise
Let's start out by doing these three simple things:
1. Live a life reflecting the priorities of God.
We've been called to make disciples of all nations, be available for the works of his Kingdom, engage in fellowship, refrain from evil, love God, love others, build the body of Christ, and so much more! But what does this mean for you? What Kingdom priorities do you hold so dearly that you want to grow in them and really make them a priority in your life?
2. Get organised!
Make it clear in your calendar and your diary what you do, where and when. Try and make sure it is in line with the priorities you have thought about above. Also, include "buffer time" as we know things can come up at the last minute that we need to be able to fit in.
3. Stay accountable to a Bible reading plan.
Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the word of God is living and active. Everyday God can say something fresh to you, inspire you, give you hope or maybe even a gentle reminder! Let's get stuck into the Word and tell someone about it, so we can keep accountable, and be challenged!
Bless you.
By Toniele Brennan, Youth Worker, The Salvation Army Lake Community Church.
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Comments
good word toniele
Such an appropriate article for me at this time!!! Thankyou so much!
This is fantastic Toniele, what an amazing writer you are! :)