Have you ever prayed this prayer? I’ll bet you have. Lately I’ve been praying these words pretty frequently. Last Wednesday was ridiculously overscheduled. I spent the morning (deep breath) getting my kids off to school, doing devotions and household chores, paying bills, scheduling with my accountant (it’s tax season), and making sure I have all the paperwork I need for our taxes.
Before I knew it, it was 2 o’clock. I still had to pray, ride the exercise bike, visit my mom, get to a township meeting, and shop for Valentine’s Day before I could take a break. By 6:30 that night I was sobbing from exhaustion. It didn’t help that it was bitterly cold outside. And snowing. And howling wind was blowing snow tornadoes in my face.
There are certain things I cannot and will not remove from my schedule, such as devotions and exercising. These are non-negotiable. But other things, such as appointments, can dominate my time without giving me any kind of reward. Let me qualify that: getting a chiropractic adjustment or having my hair highlighted are definitely rewarding experiences. I don’t mind these appointments.
I’ve learned to combine tasks whenever I can. I pray my prayer list while riding the exercise bike. I’ve written columns in doctors’ waiting and exam rooms. I’ve paid bills in the car while waiting for my kids to get their hair cut. Hold on now, I’m not abandoning them. Our stylist is a friend and I wait in her driveway.
I can’t eliminate all the time-consuming stuff from of my life. Some things just plain have to be done. I refuse to have dirty dishes and laundry pile up. I try not to go more than a week between grocery shopping trips. These things take time, but are necessary.
But here’s the thing: there are activities of earthly significance, and work of spiritual value. God knows we have to do things that don’t have eternal merit. Jesus doesn’t care whether we wash our dishes at 6 a.m. or p.m. He does care, however, whether we spend time with Him daily. He cares about us taking time to visit a friend who recently lost her husband. He wants us to set aside half an hour to shop for and write a card for a friend who’s sick.
Now if these tasks slow us down or make us buy groceries at 7 p.m. instead of 3, I guess we’ll have to accept that, right?
Knowing we’re spending our time in ways that please God is fulfilling. I’ll try to keep that in mind the next time I’m rubbing my temples as I look at my smartphone schedule.
Have a wonderful week. Blessings!