One of my dear friends is also a mentor in my life. I have given this brother the right to speak into my life and adjust my self-perception when needed. I am thankful for this type of relationship. Pastors need to be discipled as well! One of the things he would always tell me, especially when I first started the church planting journey, is that you can’t do it all. In our culture of multitasking, we have been taught, to do more is the mark of success.
Dr. Jim Taylor in an 2011 article of psychology today wrote, “The fact is that multitasking, as most people understand it, is a myth that has been promulgated by the “technological-industrial complex” to make overly scheduled and stressed-out people feel productive and efficient.”
If most of us are honest, we are over scheduled and stressed-out, truly not productive or efficient. For many of us, our escape from that reality is to lose ourselves in the abyss of social media or binge watching our favorite show on TV. The illusion that we can do it all, often drives us away from the very things we desire to do.
For the follower of Christ, we are called to have a singular focus. In fact, the Scripture is clear; we are called to not have a divided heart. James tells us the person who is double minded is unstable in all his ways. Here, James is talking about the person who is divided between God and the world. On the one hand they trust God, but on the other they are looking to the World.
Often I find myself doing more and trusting God less. What do I mean? In all of my tasks, lists, and spinning plates, often God gets left out of the equation. I find myself saying, if I can just do more, then I can accomplish my goal. In all my doing, going, and striving, I often become more stressed, unbalanced and divided in my faith.
When was the last time you just stopped and prayed? Asking the Lord, ‘Is this what you want me to do with my time?’ A steward sees their time and life not belonging to themselves, but the Lord!
Maybe instead of trying to do everything, you begin to focus on the one thing the Lord asks of us, “Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbor as yourself.” Maybe the one thing you need to add to your life is time and focus on Him, allowing everything else to arrange itself under his leading and not your own.
I am asking the Lord to help me to do the same as well.
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