Tag: priority

            The definition for essential is absolutely necessary, indispensable. Think about what you did yesterday. How many of the activities you engaged in were essential? What could you have eliminated from your day? What non-essential item could you have replaced with an essential item and thereby maximized the time you were given? One way to make sure to complete as many essential, purpose-advancing tasks in a day is to make a list. Dr. Michael Roizen, MD said, “The power of making a to-do list is that it gives you the ability to see your entire day/week/month ahead so that you can prioritize what you need to do and when you need to do it by, and it allows you to unplug fully when you have scheduled yourself to unplug and to really focus when you’re working.”

         In addition to our individual essentials there are some essentials that should be priorities to all of us. These include taking care of and spending time with your family, making Him known, living with the character of Christ, and advancing the Kingdom of God. People may think they are making something a priority or that something should be a priority, but their actions will indicate if they are truly treating that thing as a priority. Sometimes when doing financial planning I will have people make a list of their expenses and make another list of their priorities. Typically, they are spending much more money in an area that is not number one on their list of priorities. I believe that sometimes in life we know what should be the #1 priority but we end up misallocating time or money in support of that priority. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Action expresses priorities.” This is why uneven, unclear, or unspecified priorities will lead to actions incongruent with our deepest goals and desires.

          Knowing your priorities will minimize distractions, which can occur on a daily basis. Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Knowing that issues will arise and that difficulties may occur reinforces the need to plan for as much as you can control. This isn’t the only reason that focusing on the essential items each day is a good idea. It allows you to look back over your day with joy and a sense of accomplishment. If you’re like me, there may have been a day here or there where you said to someone or yourself, “this day got away from me.” We’ve all been there. The goal is to not let that be the norm. In order to make sure the norm is how we would like it to be there are some questions we should ask ourselves:

When you wake up what is on your heart and mind? Write down 2 things you can do tomorrow or this week that specifically advance the purpose that lies within you. For example, if you are a teacher what are 2 things that you can do to hone your skills? Identify the areas that you are weak and be intentional about perfecting yourself in those areas.

Paul said in 2 Cor. 5:18, “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.” This means in some way, shape or form we need to be letting people know that they need to be reconciled with God. Wherever ‘people’ are, God needs a representative to be there also. We are His mouthpieces and we speak as He leads us.

God does everything on purpose with a purpose in mind. If He created you, it’s because He needed to. He deemed you essential. It is better to seek God to know what His plan and position is for you instead of trying to force Him to fit in or cosign the plan or position you think you want for yourself.