Time
The average adult makes 30,000 choices a day, with approximately 48 thoughts a minute.
We can choose our attitude.
We can choose our attitude.
Will we be critical, prideful, impatient, blame someone else, and/or selfish? Or will we begin to intentionally catch the negative attitudes in our lives?
Philippians 2:5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Philippians 4:8 Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
There are a few simple things that tend to influence our behavior.
The first one is time:
Charles E Hummel in the 1960s published a booklet called “Tyranny of the Urgent.”
Quote,” Have you ever wished for a 30 hour day? Surely, the extra time would relieve the tremendous pressure under which we live. Our lives are a trail of unfinished tasks. But would the longer day really solve our problem? We find ourselves working more and enjoying less.
When we stop long enough to think on it, we realize our dilemma goes deeper than a shortage of time; it is basically a problem of priorities.
Hard work doesn’t hurt anyone, but doubt and misgivings produce anxiety as we review the unfinished tasks. We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important.”
We live in constant tension between the urgent and the important.
“The problem is that many important tasks need not be done today, or even this week. but often the urgent, though less important, tasks call for an immediate response- endless demands pressure each hour.
A person’s home is no longer a castle, a private place away from urgent tasks. The telephone breaches its walls with incessant demands. The appeal of these demands seem irresistible, they devour our energy.
But in light of eternity, their momentary prominence ( importance) fades.
With a sense of loss, we recall the important tasks that have been shunted aside. We realize that we’ve become slaves to the tyranny of the urgent.”
This was published in the 1960’s mind you, so is there any escape from this pattern of living?
There is a time to work, a time to play, a time to serve, and a time to rest. Unfortunately, we skew the lines extending our margins to the max. Stealing time for the important tasks.
How do you spend your time?
Work, TV, social media, friends, family, all of which are not bad yet, Satan likes to keep us busy with unproductive activities.
The answer lies in the life of our Lord. Jesus knew the work God had given him. His short 33 years, were a full “finished ” life. We can discover how Jesus handled very busy days. Scripture says, “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35
Jesus discerned the Father’s will day by day in a life of prayer. Matthew 14:23
Because of this , He was able to resist the urgent demands of others and do what was really important for his mission.
Let us resist the unnecessary in our lives and gravitate towards the important tasks God has allowed us to do.
Enjoy this day to the fullest, “For hurry always empties the soul.” (Ann Voskamp)
(some of this was taken from the booklet, Tyranny of the Urgent)
You have time for God.
Until next time, Pam
