TIME-MANAGEMENT
In our fallible attempts to juggle all the responsibilities of various sizes
and weights that are constantly hurled in our direction, the following
suggestions may be helpful.
1.
Make time to pray. I doubt any of us are any busier than Jesus was in
his earthly ministry, yet he regularly withdrew from the daily commotion to
invest time in prayer (Luke 5:16). It’s not that he necessarily had time to
pray, but he obviously considered it important enough to make time to pray (cf.
Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12). Why would any sensible person delve into the momentous
task of doing God’s work without inviting God to be involved in it? “With men
it is impossible, but not with God; for all is possible with God” (Mark 10:27).1
It has been said that if one is too busy to pray, he is too busy not to pray.
2.
Plan each day. Having a consistently updated to-do list, with the most
important items listed first, is indispensable. The value of planning ahead
ought to be self-evident (cf. Luke 14:28-33), and the biblical principle of
sowing and reaping pretty much guarantees that poor planning produces poor
results, while much better results are achieved with better planning (2
Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7).
3.
Prioritize. Let’s be honest. There is no end to the unimportant,
time-consuming activities that serve as potential distractions. If I lose my
focus, rather than my allotted time being carefully invested in what really
matters, much of it can be wasted. The weightier issues that deserve first
priority simply cannot be relegated to the elusive “spare time” compartment
(cf. Matthew 6:33; 9:62; 23:23).
4.
Multitask. I am not suggesting that one tries to do several things at
the same time if it weakens the quality of his work. But whenever possible,
tasks can and should be combined for greater efficiency. For example, instead
of spending hours of preparation on various topics for sermons, Bible classes,
bulletin articles, blog posts, and teaching materials, why not develop a
devotional lesson or tract based on a blog post that is an expanded bulletin
article that is a condensed sermon or Bible class lesson? Were it not for
multitasking, Nehemiah may have never seen the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt
(Nehemiah 4:17-18).
5.
Be flexible. Anticipate interruptions and plan accordingly. If my
schedule is too stringent without room for unexpected disruptions, I will
constantly be stressed out and frustrated because life just doesn’t work that
way. Consequently my ministry, my family, and my mental health are adversely
affected. As Paul planned his second missionary campaign (Acts 16:36), little
did he know that his long-standing partnership would disintegrate, the first
two targeted mission fields would be blocked, his customary strategy of
initiating the work in synagogues would be unsuitable at the first location, he
would be forced to prematurely leave the first three mission points, and he
would face other unanticipated disruptions all along the way. Paul still made
definite plans, but he was flexible enough to deal with unforeseen
circumstances as they arose, while he trusted that all things would ultimately
work together for good (Acts 18:21; Romans 8:28).
6.
Exploit off-peak time periods. Essential tasks that demand my undivided
attention are best reserved for times when interruptions are less likely. For
me, getting up about four hours before anyone else in my family and before the
phone starts ringing provides the best opportunity for personal devotion and
in-depth study. It also enables me to be more flexible through the rest of the
day and available to do other things as they come up. This obviously works best
for the morning person, but later at night when everyone else is in bed may be
better for the night owl. Jesus availed himself of both (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12).
7.
Be realistic. I have to recognize and accept my limitations. There may
be preachers who always deliver fantastic sermons, teach well-prepared Bible
lessons, write daily blogs, contribute weekly articles to various journals and
websites, visit all the needy members of the congregation each week, counsel
those who are struggling, actively pursue Bible-study opportunities with
non-Christians, volunteer in the community, do funerals and weddings,
participate in multiple gospel meetings and lectureships and campaigns
throughout the year, and give quality time to their families. But I doubt it.
While everyone is different and not all preachers are created equal (Matthew
25:14-15), wisdom and discernment must be applied to what can and cannot and
should and should not be attempted.
8.
Learn to say “no. ” More times than not my schedule gets
overloaded simply because I think I have to agree to everything I’m asked to
do. It is perfectly legitimate to decline invitations to do extra things,
especially if I am already struggling to juggle the responsibilities I
currently have. I may really want to participate in this lectureship, or preach
another gospel meeting, or produce more articles and blog posts, or get
involved in an online debate, or play golf with my buddies on weekends. But if
any of these good things can’t be done without neglecting obligations to which
I am already committed, respectfully declining is the right thing to do (cf.
Acts 18:20; 20:16).
9.
Delegate. It is humanly impossible for any individual to do everything
that needs to be done. By ignoring this reality and attempting to do it all
anyway, here is what invariably happens: (1) some important tasks get
overlooked or receive less-than-quality attention; (2) burnout is more likely,
rendering its victim incapable of accomplishing much of anything; (3) others are
deprived of opportunities to serve and to grow; and (4) those who are depending
on me suffer. Moses delegated (Exodus 18:13-25), Jesus delegated (Luke 10:1-2),
the apostles delegated (Acts 6:1-4), and it is a lesson that gospel preachers
today simply cannot afford to dismiss.
10.
Be accountable. If I am finding it difficult to balance work and family
and other responsibilities, I should ask someone to help keep me on track.
Personally, I have no trouble focusing on work, so I have recruited my wife and
children to remind me whenever they think I’m shirking family duties. If,
however, the pendulum happens to swing in the other direction, I need a friend
or church leader to hold me accountable. “Bear the loads of one another, and
thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
While learning to juggle isn’t easy and nobody perfects it overnight, the more
we work at it, the better we get. I couldn’t juggle bowling balls in college,
but after years of practice I’m much better at it now.
--Kevin
L. Moore
Endnote:
1 Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations in English are
the author’s own translation.
Published in So
You Want to Be a Preacher, ed. David Powell. Henderson, TN: Freed-Hardeman
University, 2013: 220-29.
Related Posts: Achieving Balance Part 1, Part 2, Training Biblically Balanced Preachers
No comments:
Post a Comment