Using Time Well

We are too busy.
We have no margin in our lives.

(Vichi81 - FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Why?

Because we think too highly of ourselves.
Because we are insecure in our identities.
Because we don't know how to choose pleasure well.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, when I talk to friends and co-workers, the comment I hear so often when I ask, "How are you?" is "Busy." One reason we are so busy because we think too highly of ourselves. Let me explain.

When I fill my life and work with many activities it is often because I want to produce more. I think, "If I can run this extra program, produce more,and build a bigger XYZ, then I'll have arrived", and I fail to realize how little I am in the world.

Consider this fact: The vast majority of us will be forgotten within the next 100 years. Humbling indeed.

Another way in which we think too highly of ourselves is that we think we can do more than we can. When I first began in ministry, I thought that I could mentor dozens of college students. It quickly became clear to me that if Christ chose to mentor 12, I might be wise to not attempt more than that. When I think I can do more than I can, I often become overwhelmed with tasks and people become projects.

This is not to say that hard work is to be shunned - it isn't. It is to challenge us with this question: Am I so busy because I think I can do more than I really can, and does that assumed 'production-capability' come from me thinking of myself more highly than I should?  Have I turned people I love, people with whom I work, into projects instead of image-bearers of the Creator?

More to come...

- tC

Godly Communication: A Biblical Perspective Applied

This is the latest message from Tim at BTGM. It was given at a men's dinner in May 2011 and focused on the topic of how to communicate in a Christ-centered, God-honoring way. You can also download it as an MP3 at www.btgm.libsyn.com/webpage.

Challenge #1 - Time

(Winnond - FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Think of  the average greeting you share with a person you pass in the office or perhaps on the street.  It usually goes something like this: "Hey, how are you?"  "Good - you?"  "Doing well, thanks."  And on you go.  But if you take a moment to stop and interact, I find one of the most common words to pop up in the conversation is busy.

"How's life?" 
"Oh, really busy." 
"Yeah, I hear ya'." 

We often feel busy because we don't know how to handle our time, and I believe this might be the greatest challenge to the Christian faith today.  Consider the consequences:

- How many followers of Christ struggle with having any sort of devotional life (reading, prayer, reflection, etc.) because they feel like they can't make the time?
- How many church attendees arrive late and feel the need to rush out after the service is over because of other obligations?
- How many youth are so involved in sports and other extra-curricular activities that they can't make it to a weekly youth group meeting, a retreat or camp, or even to church because they have games and practices all throughout the week?
- How many parents are working well over 40 hours a week in order to pay the bills and give their families a  "nice life"?

On the other side of our harried lives, consider Jesus in Mark 1.  After a day of healing and performing many signs and wonders, Jesus finds (or makes) time to go off early in the morning in solitude and commune with His Father in Heaven.  In the future posts, we will look at a biblical model of how to handle time but for today, let us merely consider how busy we are and if our lack of time management has been impacting our spiritual lives.

- tC

The Top 4 Challenges to Christians in America Today

(Salvatore Vuono - FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to share some reflections that I've had over the last few years, reflections on what the most looming challenges are to the Church in America today.  The first one - time.  For a great resource on this topic, I highly recommend Freedom from the Tyranny of the Urgent by Charlie Hummel. 
Tune in for more on this topic tomorrow.

- tC