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Got Margin? Do What Matters Most.If we don’t have margin in our life, the things that matter most to us get put aside. Having margin is having enough time to do the things that truly matter to us. Wouldn’t it be great to have time for ourselves, time for the people we love, time for God? Why don’t we have it? Because we get distracted by “good” things, and miss the most important things. We settle for good, at the expense of the best. It’s easy to understand the desire and need for margin, but hard to actually make the decisions necessary to obtain it. “If I only had more time!” Is that true? If we were magically given two extra hours in our day, it probably wouldn’t make a difference. If it were that easy, we’d take two hours out of the 24 we already have to do those important things. But it isn’t and we wouldn’t. We need to manage the time that God has given to us, and make wise decisions based on who and what matters most to us. The battle is the Pull of Culture vs. God’s Purpose for our lives. If your car gets out of alignment, it pulls to one side and you have to work at keeping on the road. For most of us, culture pulls us off to the side, away from God and our relationships, and causes us to focus on things of less importance. What do you feel are the most important things you can do for yourself, your relationship with others, and your relationship with God? Have you found the time to do them? Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise, but as wise, making the most We have to be careful, because our culture is going to pull us toward settling for the good - but God is calling us to what is best. Know your intention, know your standard, and choose wisely. For example: What will win out on a summer Sunday morning: Church? Catching up on yard work? Your child’s sports practice? Rest? You can choose the good ……. or choose the best. How do we build the margin needed to live the best way? 1. Schedule it. But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. Hints for scheduling margin:
How do you decide what to schedule? It’s not whether you’re free, or if the activity is right or wrong. The question is: In light of __(fill in your current life situation or phase of life)_ is it wise? Learn to say “no” to many good things, so you can say “yes” to the best things. This is where we get beat. Too many good things become the enemy of the best things. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will. The culture, the pattern of this world, will often win out. Then we must stand back up, reprioritize, and take a step toward our goal again. 2. Determine what matters most Intimate time with God. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, Without God you can’t accomplish what He’s put in your heart to do. Your time with Him keeps you aligned, on track, focused, and rejuvenated. Intentional time of rest Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. If you feel overwhelmed, go to God, where you can find rest. You need to be rested to be effective. Culture and God’s Purpose are vying within us for our 24-hour days.
___________________________ Application Thoughts • Think about what or who is most important to you that you haven’t been able to make time for. Feel free to forward this article. |
