I've been slacking on updating this blog. Time to change things up!
So I'm going to be unoriginal and dedicate my first post in 2010 to the subject of time. I can't believe it's already March! Time keeps soaring right by me. Coincidentally, for the past few months, God's really been speaking to me about the importance of managing time well.
Back in December, I read Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper. I recommend it. It's a great book with God-centered principles for Christian living. But, I've found it hard to take Piper's big ideas about not wasting your life and actually apply them to my everyday life. I began praying for God to help me understand what it means for me not to waste my life. He spoke to me through the encouragement of others that I need to manage my time more effectively.
Honestly, I've struggled with time management all my life. I think part of my problem lies in my idealism. I'm great at thinking up grand ideas. In fact, I find great pleasure in picturing what I want my life to look like. For example, when I entered college, I saw myself graduating at the top of my class with honors as the UNC Kenan-Flagler school president. Yet, my academic career at UNC fell short of that goal. Basically, I'm trying to convey how I set high goals for myself, but I get overwhelmed by all the time it takes to accomplish them. Plus, I think my carefree personality lends me to being quite disorganized which definitely contributes to my horrible time management skills.
Though it's clear I struggle with time management, God is gracious and He provides me with all the means necessary to overcome my deficiencies. Specifically, He has used the persistent pushes of my mother to better organize my life through keeping a personal calendar. Usually, I live weeks with no real plan or set purpose. I live each moment as it comes and seek opportunities as they present themselves. However, I'm now beginning to see the value in keeping a calendar. It relieves me of stress and helps me reach goals that seem far off. It maps out time and organizes my schedule in an effective way. I'm praying God will continue to instill the discipline of time management in my life.
Finally, I want to clarify why I strive not to waste my life. It's not because I want to have 'my best life now' or whatever the prosperity gospel preachers. No, I want to orient my life in such a way that the cross would be magnified to the fullest extent possible. God's been so gracious in allowing me to experience His presence that I desire to show His worth to others through living a life worthy of the calling. Therefore, whether it's keeping a weekly calendar or making 473 to-do lists, I want to do whatever it takes to live such a life.
God, grant me the power to become a good steward of time so that I will better reflect your great glory!
In Him,
Mark
