Time Management with God

Azalea clusterLord -- I am undisciplined

-- To a point. Not totally. --

With God: all things are possible.

If you called me into this direction, as long as I lean on you, I can do it.

I suppose I can use Saturdays to catch up..

Of course -- this only leaves about three hours a day to write...

-- Let Me take care of that. --

But You said to give You first four hours of my day.

-- And you aren't? –

Well, I sure haven't been.

-- No, you haven't. But you are working in that direction. This time in a better way. It is not My will for you to always work exhausted. Yes sometimes that will happen, even have to happen, but not as a habit. If you live that way habitually, what resources will you call on when I call you to a more pressed time?

 It isn't all spiritual, you know. I have built emergency resources into the body.

They are for emergencies. Not daily living.

As you already know, you have some long running, deeply entrenched, bad habits of time management. Your natural tendencies run amok with the lack of externally imposed time frames. And yes, there is some compulsiveness that plays into it. Plus you never had anyone to teach you how to do this. But I will teach you.

I will lead you. This is what you want, and what I want. Live and move in tandem. You'll learn to lean on me as much as any missionary, for that is what you are.

And no. That does not mean run and open your e-mail right now. After 3 PM. That is when you can look at. I will help you. You are helping people. That will grow, but first I have to get you to the point of handling the assignments I've already given you.

It isn't just "write." Remember I told you to practice. I've been telling you. I let you see how you will struggle without it. Yes, I blessed those times anyway. But they can be/will be more.

The rest will come. Sooner than you think.

And rest is important for the rest of it, too.

It is useless to continually flog a tired body. The mind just will not follow along. Cannot flog a brain into action. That would turn into a mushy pulp, wouldn't it? --

Ugh. That's a nasty picture.

-- Yes – and nasty what you do to your brain when you try to function like this. Hope is right about the growth hormone and regeneration. I don't want you relying on your medication just to stay awake. --

          Oh no -- it is 11 o'clock. The hour is up.

-- Yes. And your coach is about to turn into a pumpkin...

          Silly girl. I'm not going to leave you.

And you don't owe Me "bible reading time," either. That will come again.

First things first... --

That's a big lesson...

-- Part of it. A big part. Wrapped into it is saying no to yourself.  No one likes to do that. I didn't like to do it, either! It is hard.

But it gets easier with practice.

Habits. Let's work on establishing new habits. This month. Keep working towards it.

Yes, I will give you the determination to see it through. --

Hmmm... wonder which fruit of the Spirit...

-- No you don't! Not the time to read, even the Bible.

BTW –

             I believe perseverance is the word you are looking for.

And no, don't look it up now.

Look it up tomorrow --

Comments

[mahnaz ahmed]

we did have perseverance on our mind did we not Pat...we do need to devote some time to God each day...if we incorporate Him in our life...no task seems impossible...He does have the sturdiest shoulders in the entire Universe(s). we can always lean on Him for love, understanding and security...thanks Pat!

[Kaleb]

This really speaks to you because I have very similar time management issues. I love the conversational format - very clever!!! God speaks to me in a very similar way :) I am learning to be disciplined and to focus on what I am doing at that time and to not get distracted. I also have to make time to write and that can be challenging especially because I am a single mother of a young 8 yr old boy - Thanks for sharing Pat, I really enjoyed this

[[Pat Kashtock]]

Hey Kaleb -- thanks! What you point to is exactly what it seems the Lord is dealing with me on. Each thing in it's time-place. Focus on this job now, not the next thing. Just this morning as I began to get off track, He said, "First things first, Pat." Maybe for the 100th time. But this time I listened. Dropped the "after the next thing" to go on to the next thing which in this case was voice exercises, then writing on slavery. The help for the music team I had started to get involved in has to wait.

Cool to know He speaks to you the same way =]

And wow -- I am impressed. You are a single Mom -- that is impressive enough, but you make time to write. Truly amazing that is hard to do. May God continue to give you His grace and strength, and much joy in your journey.

[[Pat Kashtock]]

Mahnaz -- You are such a tender person. Thank you. And yes, He does have shoulders big enough to handle our tough times. They seem so big to us, but are a drop of sand to carry for Him. Peace and blessings today to you =]

[Godserv]

A timely topic. It's so true, we find time to do other thing and give God the last minutes of our day sometimes. It's a good thing to start with His Word in our head and kinda crank up our hears again to face the trials of the day :)

[[Pat Kashtock]]

How true, Godserv! For many years my norm was to have time in listening prayer and Bible study. I had trouble ending that time and moving onto the next. At some point those longed for times switched into habit. Seems the Lord may not have wanted that exactly, and things began to happen to shattered the habitualness of it.

For now, my challenge if to regain the longing part, yet cut it off at an hour. I have not mastered the other challenge: preventing the physical chores from intruding into the writing/practice times. Also preventing time bleed -- when I kick myself into starting those, I find it difficult to stop when the time allotment is up. Then there is the rest of the music work and the visual/creative parts. Add people into the mix, and I have not figured out how to fit it all in and actually sleep =]