As I was praying this morning, something popped into my head that I hadn’t really given much thought before. I mean, I’ve read things and heard leaders talk about this, but for some reason, today it made sense. If only I can make it sensible here…
How much do I have to work in order to see God move in people’s lives? My tendency is to give all that I can. Instead of watching TV now, I plan next month’s meeting. A few spare minutes before dinner gets finished…use it to check email. What ends up happening is that I don’t discipline my schedule at all. Work bleeds over into free-time and family time, and vice versa.
I think where I mess up is thinking that “living for God” is synonymous with “working for God.” As a staff person at The Journey, I have responsibilities and events and meetings. And, I want our church environments and programs and ministries to be excellent to reach people far from God, so I don’t mind giving a lot of time to the work of God. But, as I prayed this morning, it became very clear to me that this can be a very undisciplined way of living — and ungodly.
If I don’t spend enough time with my family and let them know that they are a priority in my life, will God bless the extra hours I’m giving to ministry work? If I steal time from my own leisure activities and rarely just sit and relax, will God’s movement be more visible in my life?
I don’t think so.
The real question running in my head this morning was this: Do I trust God to take my offering of my time and my resources and multiply it for the glory of His Kingdom?
Perhaps, I need to discipline my work schedule to include some gaps as well. I create gaps in my finances as I give. I step out in faith to give a certain percentage of my income to God (and even extra to Kidstuf this year), and I’m trusting God to meet me there in that gap.
Why don’t I do that with my time? Why don’t I set some clear boundaries and trust Him to meet me there in the gaps?
