I was excited to hear Matt Perman was releasing a new book entitled How to Get Unstuck.
I’m a huge fan of Perman’s – I enjoyed his first book and have had the chance to speak with him on my podcast. There aren’t many people who write on productivity from a specifically Christian perspective, so naturally we were kindred spirits.
So when I had the opportunity to get an advance review copy of How to Get Unstuck, of course I was going to jump on that!
I’m thankful that scripture records for us the events in Gethsemane. We see Christ in sorrow and pain, praying and crying.
Every word of the gospels inspires us with Jesus’s strength and holiness. But these precious moments of despair show us that temptation is not the same as sin, that fatigue is not the same as surrender.
This scene of Christ’s struggle shows us it’s alright for us to struggle. And this shows us how to pursue discipline in a Christ-like way.
Have you ever been challenged about how much time you spend at work instead of with your family? How much time you spend caring for your kids instead of loving your spouse?
Have you felt guilty about how little time you spend serving? Or in community with friends? Or evangelizing? Or caring for the poor? Or exercising? Or reading?
It’s quite convicting to think of all that we’re not doing well – it seems like so much, right? We feel the tug to just…be… a little… bit… better.
We want a balanced life. But in this pursuit, we’re often forgetting the most important step – the hardest step.
A warning from J.C. Ryle in Thoughts for Young Men:
Tomorrow is the devil’s day, but today is God’s. Satan cares not how spiritual your intentions may be, and how holy your resolutions, if only they are fixed for tomorrow. Oh, give not place to the devil in this matter! Answer him, “No, Satan! It shall be today, today.”
When the Bible speaks of the second coming of Christ, we’re not just told that it will happen – but we’re told how we are to respond right now because of it.
For Christians, the second coming brings us hope.
Not a cross-your-fingers hope. Or a warm, gushy feeling hope.
The second coming of Christ creates an active hope.
We all look forward to rest.
We count down the days until vacation as we picture ourselves relaxing. We can’t wait until the weekend when we get some time off to decompress.
But then that day off comes… and the truth is it didn’t work out like we envisioned. There was that laundry to take care of or that creaky door to repair or that reading we have to catch up on or that last minute preparation for our presentation.
Our to-do lists are just as long as ever, and we feel overwhelmed. Maybe we take a day off and feel stressed the entire time as our tasks loom unfinished in the background. Maybe we give in and work anyway, feeling exhausted and looking forward now to the next day off – the time when we’ll really get to rest.
We like the idea of resting. But the practice is different… not nearly as soothing.
Why does rest not feel restful?
As the years have gone on, I’ve tried a variety of time management systems and have a big collection of tricks I’ve used.
You want to know what I’ve found to often be the best method for me?
The one that’s new.
I was listening to a podcast the other day on the drastic changes coming our way over the next few decades as technology advances. It will be unimaginable.
The podcast hosts were so excited as they saw tremendous potential; they were optimistic about the fate of the human race.
But in some ways I wasn’t so convinced.
When we see our time management through the lens of scripture, we realize that we’ve got the Holy Spirit to empower us.
Imagine the good that could come in our life through the Spirit’s power. Imagine the Holy Spirit’s activity doing away with procrastination, overcommitment, sloth, frantic busyness, misplaced priorities, and guilt from wasted time.
What a breath of fresh air that would be.
But perhaps some of the reasons you’re frustrated with your time stewardship is because you’re trying to use God instead of allowing him to use you.
Have you ever read a stewardship parable (like the Parable of the Minas) and it made you feel guilty? Instead of identifying with the good stewards, you found yourself having more in common with the bad ones – you know, the ones that were called wicked and were punished severely.
Sometimes the bar can just seem so high. And we fail again and again. And again. And again.
We’re stressed. We’re worried. We’re proud. We’re self-sufficient. We’re lazy. We’re too busy.
And we may start to think we’ll never change. What’s the point in trying?