Ep. 120 It’s Not About Being Busy But Managing Your Time

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Shows Main Idea – Every Christian should be busy. The unbusy Christian is an oxymoron. Nobody has a more important message than the Christian, and we should be “spending ourselves” as we go and tell the world about God.

Show Notes

You may want to read:

• The Blessing Of Doing Things Without Thinking
• How To Reach Your Goals In Six Simple Steps
• How to Strive For Rest

To say, “I’m busy” is unnecessary for the Christian. And to say, “I’m bored” could be a sin problem. Imagine Jesus or His disciples being bored, lazy, or passive. Gospelized Christians can do better than that. They are grateful for being busy because they know there is coming a day when being busy may not be an option for them (2 Corinthians 4:16). They want to work while it’s day (John 9:4).

• To love God and others is a gospel working command (Matthew 22:36-40).
• To glorify God in everything you do is an action-shaped worldview (1 Corinthians 10:31).
• To go and make disciples is a job description that is full of busy opportunities (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Wrong Busy

Illustrated: If your marriage is burning down and you’re too busy to discipline yourself for a season to repair it, what if we jump over the “busy question” and do some severe heart work? The busy person’s unwillingness to biblically prioritize his life is a substantial reason why it’s better to ask more questions.

1. Do you know how to prioritize your calendar?
2. Are you spending the right amount of time taking care of your most important relationships?

Tip 1 – Learn the value of saying, “No.”

Do a study of the four Gospels, observing all the times Jesus said no or did not give people what they wanted when they wanted it.

Tip 2 – Is it a season or a way of life?

Certain seasons will be grueling, but it’s only for a short time. If you’re “out-of-control” and frenetic as a way of life, you must repent.

Tip 3 – Be spontaneous and structured:

• All spontaneous will exhaust you and your friends, plus you will miss out on the discipline of the structure.
• All structure will quench the Spirit because God is not tameable, as each day brings terrific surprises.

Tip 4 – Express gratitude for being busy.

God is kind to keep you busy and give you the empowerment to sustain your busyness. A person who habitually complains about being busy is more than ungrateful.

Six More Tips That Will Help You

1. Each person establishes their priorities: what is important to you?
2. Spouses should agree on the marriage/family priorities and mission.
3. Learn how to work with a planning calendar and use it.
4. Block out the “unmoveable things” that you don’t want to miss.
5. Your calendar can flex and change, depending on the season of our lives.
6. Predetermine strategies for responding to folks who want to use your time.

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Rick Thomas

Rick launched the Life Over Coffee global training network in 2008 to bring hope and help for you and others by creating resources that spark conversations for transformation. His primary responsibilities are resource creation and leadership development, which he does through speaking, writing, podcasting, and educating.

In 1990 he earned a BA in Theology and, in 1991, a BS in Education. In 1993, he received his ordination into Christian ministry, and in 2000 he graduated with an MA in Counseling from The Master’s University. In 2006 he was recognized as a Fellow of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).