"Back to work. It was a normal day in the office. Normal meaning that I sat and intended to pray and study and get some of my desk cleared and didn't do anything that I set out to do because of meetings and pressing ministry needs that arose."
Can you identify with my quote from last year? I am sure you can in one way or another. You had plans. You intended to get something done. You were going to make it happen.
Then you got busy.
It happens to all of us. We get distracted with the day and pressing things interrupt our best laid plans. This is okay every now and then. We need to be flexible. Stuff happens. The problem that we all know far too well is that this is a regular occurrence. It becomes the norm.
So we live with our dreams and desires on the shelf we label "When I have time..." and there they sit collecting dust.
Or not.
Isn't it time for a change? Aren't you sick of living an unfulfilled life? I know I can't stand having dreams and desires that look like empty rooms in my house. (This expression comes from the fact that I really need to print some photos on canvas and metal and decorate the house I have lived in for a year and a half so it looks like someone lives there...too much info?)
So how do we change it? Glad you asked.
It starts with the priority. How valuable is that dream or desire? If the desire is to have a prayer and study time in the morning with the Lord before you start your day you better lose some sleep or go where you can't be interrupted. I recently fasted two hours of sleep every morning for ten days and gave that time to the Lord. It totally revived me. I had fresh prayers, my journal was filled with insights from the Lord and I just had better days. In fact I made breakfast for the family two mornings in a row. Not just cereal either, it was bacon and eggs and then Dutch Babies on another day. (If you don't know what Dutch Babies are you need to start living.) Sure I was tired but the benefit far outweighed the loss of sleep.
Our priorities will drive our actions. This means saying no to things that would distract us. This also means strategic planning for what we want. I had a plan to wake up early. I am still waking up earlier than I was before my fast and putting the priority on giving God the first part of my day. It was like a reset for me.
For you it may be a different time of day is when you set aside for your priorities. Maybe it is setting aside time to be distracted. What a thought! If e-mail is a distraction why not give yourself an hour just for e-mail and then discipline yourself to stay away for the rest of your day? It just might work.
The staying power of all this is consistency. The commitment without consistency is not a real commitment at all. It is just a dusty whim on the shelf. Stay after it. If you get off then get back on. Don't beat yourself up but rather discipline yourself. There is a huge difference. On defeats and deflates you the other will propel you and pump you up.
Take some time to dream this week and write down what you really want from life. Is it more time in the word and prayer? Is it more family time? Is it a more productive work day? Whatever it is, and it may be a lot of things, place numbers or values next to the items you listed in order of priority. Then ask God to help you with a plan of action. Look for the distractions and overcome them before you get distracted by them. Also you may want to involve a spouse or friend as an accountability partner to keep you focused. I know I need that in my life!
This year let's not stay with the norm, let's grow to new heights!
