Time Management from a Christian Perspective

With the hustle and bustle of trying to make ends meet during this hectic holiday season…I have found myself so caught up in trying to fulfill every need, and frankly not getting very much done or even figuring out how to. As many, I find myself waning in trying to meet commitments; body, mind and spirit…not connecting…I sincerely do not think this is what God intended for our celebrating the most important event of history (other than Easter)… Here is an excerpt from an article I found to be very informative…As only a brief introduction of this article is mentioned, I invite you to link and read the article in its entirety!

Redeeming the Time: A Christian Perspective on Time Management, Gregg Harris, Author-http://www.crosswalk.com/512660

You know the feeling. You have a thousand and one things to do. Every one of them needs to be done ASAP, and you just don’t have the time. This is when most of us start thinking about time management when we are up to our ears in over commitments. But strictly speaking, time is not something human beings can really "manage." When God stopped the sun in the middle of the sky to allow Joshua to win an important battle that was time management! (Joshua 10:12-13). We can’t stop the sun. We can’t even slow it down.

God can make it go backwards! (See 2 Kings 20:9-11). So let’s begin by recognizing that time belongs to God. He made it and He sustains it. All we can do is manage ourselves in the way we use the time God has so graciously given us. It is not time, it is our purposes, goals, plans and actions that we are able to manage. These four key things are not only within our power to effect, God commands us to do so. They are the proper focus of any effort to use our time well.

Purpose: Our purpose must always be to please our Father in heaven. Our goals must be the goals given to us by Christ in the Great Commission. Our plans must be made in the light of His word and with the qualification "If the Lord wills, we will do this or that." Our actions must be done with full conviction and forcefulness in the power of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will miss the mark. We will fall short of the glory of God. We squander precious time.

Goals spring from a desire and an inspiration to create or acquire or accomplish something new to have a child, to start a business, etc. Much of what people think are goals are actually maintenance. They arise from the need to take care of what they already have to solve problems in the existing situation and to keep things going just as they are to feed the baby, to manage the business, etc. These activities, though very important, are not really goals.

Plans are the strategies we formulate in our minds. When we are committed to accomplishing a passionate goal, our minds can’t stop thinking about it. Everything related to it becomes interesting and even delightful. We study. We seek out the counsel of others. We lie awake at night, solving problems, calculating costs and figuring out how we will overcome the inevitable obstacles. Such planning is best done on paper so that we can keep track of what we are learning and then put it into practice at the proper time.

Actions are what we actually do with our strength. "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty" (Proverbs 14:23). Strong words, but true. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is taken by force and forceful men are pressing in to it." James tells us that faith without works is dead. Purposes, goals and plans are all worthless if we are unwilling to take action. This is the purpose for carrying around a Calendar, a Schedule of Daily Appointments and an Action List. Together these tools allow us to always know what to do now or next. With them, our strength allows us to overcome the obstacles of confusion. Strength patiently, persistently and eventually conquers all kinds of opposition.

The Greatest Commandment : God has not left us without direction in this challenge. An expert in the Jewish law once asked Jesus which of all the commandments of God was the greatest. The Lord responded by quoting a passage from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 with one important addition. Whereas the original passage mentioned only heart, soul and strength, in Luke 10:27 and Mark 12:30 Jesus adds the word mind. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

And…as said in the past, present and future…pray, pray, pray… Philippians 4 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. …even in TIME MANAGEMENT!

SCRIPTURES:  

“Lord, show me Your ways. Teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth. Teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long” Psalm 25:4-5

“O Father, I have glorified You here on earth. I have finished the work that You gave me to do” John 17:4