My friends would consider me very organized and on the ball. They would say that I am either very anal retentive and or OC (and not the D - obsessive and compulsive). The way that people have described me to others are either you will take him (really love him) or you won't -there is no in between. I can say that God has matured me in many ways, from an aging father and deceased mother to a husband and father of 3 beautiful kids to a flourishing ministry and work life. He has humbled me in maturity with the responsibility that He has trusted me in. Sometimes I wake up and take inventory and cannot believe that I get to live this life.
One of my biggest stresses are "to-do lists". Without them, I would be lost, with them I can sometimes be overwhelmed (what about you?). The problem with these lists is that I sometimes make them an idol (meaning I cannot disconnect my brain from these lists and thereby I sort of let them rule my mind):
Colossians 4:5 (ESV) 5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
Psalm 90:12 (ESV) 12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Why do we worry about what gets done and doesn't get done? Why do we let that become an idol in my life? How can we change my thought process into less of my time and making more intentional things in my life be about God's timing? Proverbs 16:9 (ESV) The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. It is easy for any of us to get lost in translation and so much harder when we try to cope by worldly standards - our problem (we do not belong to the world for we were bought with a price). Therefore,
Step 1: Change our logic?
- We are not our own, we were bought with a price. Therefore, I am not my own god (small "g") instead I am a child of God. Therefore my time no longer belongs to me - it's HIS!
Step 2: What matters most?
- Prioritize our lives (God, Family, Work/Church and Friends)
Step 3: Prioritize what matters most:
- Are we building relationship with God or just knowledge of Him? He wants more for us then to just know Him - He wants our friendship
- Are we serving God with our Time, Talent and Treasure (don't worry about talent and treasure, yet, we have to get the time part going in the right direction)
Step 4: Don't sweat the big things (Mathew 6 on worry), instead focus a one degree change on tackling the little stuff
- This allows us not to be overwhelmed
- This gives us some value in that you are accomplishing some things
- The Bigger Things that are on our list seem to get small once the little stuff starts getting accomplished
Step 5: Prayer continually
- This Step should really be wrapped in between and woven throughout all previous steps and steps to come
- This Step should be our guide for God's will and not our own
Step 6: Find accountability
- Join a men's group
- Join a Bible believing Bible study
- Find brothers who can help
- Confess to our brothers and first and foremost to the Lord
Step 7: Take inventory on the changes made
- Is it making a difference
- How are others around us reacting
- Is God moving in our life
Colossians 3:15-16
English Standard Version (ESV)
15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms
and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Have a blessed day,Dante