I just went for a walk with my dog after coming back from work. Towards the later part of the day, my mind was filled with this word, "PRIORITY." Now that I have started work again, it is important for me to get this right first so that I will not compromise or cause my life to go haywire in the event of not prioritising. As I was walking, I asked the Lord to give me guidance on this.
I have listed all my commitments and they are in order of priority:-
1) God
2) Family
3) Church
a) Missions Ministry/Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC)
b) Accountability Groups
c) Worship Team
d) Youth Ministry (YM)
Work and friends are not included and I will explain why in the subsequent paragraphs.
Below are the reasons for the way I did the above list.
1) God
He has to come first in my life because everything else below Him will fall in place if I know what His will is. Knowing Him through reading the Word; prayer; and also, once in a while, enriching myself in courses will allow me to be more effective in how I serve Him and His people. Nothing should take His place as the pre-eminence of my life.
2) Family
My family will come next. When I was younger, I did not subscribe to this idea but I have learnt from my ex-Pastor that ministry has to begin at home. If I cannot be a good testimony to my family members or be there for them when in need, I have no right to minister anywhere else. I will be a hypocrite if I do that. Whether I like it or not, God has given me a family and I have to be a good steward in this area first.
3) Church
Next is Church. This is my second family. Even for this area of my life, I need to prioritise the ministries that I am involved in. I categorised them as primary and secondary ministries.
3a) Missions Ministry/LCEC
My primary ministries are basically the Missions Ministry which I have been entrusted to lead and the LCEC which is an umbrella where all the leaders of the church come under. If there is a clash of appointments, these two ministries will come first because I cannot take the tasks God has entrusted me too lightly.
My secondary ministries will be the two accountability groups, the Worship Team and the Youth Ministry (YM). They are also in order of priority.
3b) Accountability Groups
The accountability groups have to come first as it is important to account my spiritual well-being and all other aspects of my life with the groups of brothers I have committed myself to. I can serve all I want but if there is no one whom I can account my life to, it will be a dangerous path I am taking. It is vital that these groups of brothers can help me avoid certain pitfalls of life and to support me when the going gets tough.
3c) Worship Team
3d) YM
After this comes the Worship Team and YM. These two are at the lowest in my list, not that they are unimportant. Though I love playing the drums, lead worship and minister to the youths, I have to also acknowledge that I am not the only person who can do that. There are many in the church who also have such talents and giftings and God can use them too. I cannot always be filling up empty spaces as I would eventually burn-out, if I do that. Once I am rostered to lead or play in services, I will serve but anything more than that, I will have to decline.
As mentioned, work and friends are unlisted. Below are my reasons.
As it is by default that certain hours of the day have been set aside for work, there is no need for me to prioritise this area of my life.
But two things I am certain when it comes to this part:
i) Work will never govern my life nor take the places of God, family and church! If it does, I have no qualms resigning from the current job I have. Like I said, work is basically an avenue for me to earn enough income to support my family and I and also to allow me to save a little. Everything else is secondary.
I will give my best in the number of official hours required of me to do my job but if I am asked to give more than that, I will not compromise. If any one wants to fault me for lack of commitment, so be it! One's commitment to a company is not the quantity that matters but the quality. If I can be efficient in the official hours stipulated and produce results, do not tell me that I have not given my best!
ii) The work-place is also a mission field and I will, as much as I can, be a light to my colleagues and students. Sometimes I will fail because of my shortcomings but as much as I can, I will minister to the people I am in contact with.
As for friends, it is also hard to prioritise this group. Many of my friends are already in the areas of commitments I have listed above - meaning to say, during those times when I am working or when I am serving, I am constantly in contact with them, not just on official matters but also social ones.
Sometimes when I have time available, I will make an attempt to meet and catch up with them but I have to admit also that I cannot always give my time to the same group of friends. It is a sad reality but I have to face it.
But to all my friends reading this, you can rest assured that I will be there for you when there is an urgent need in your life.
Well, what I have written so far may seem very regimental but for every one else's sake and mine, I have to do that. Am I going to be bogged down by all these priorities? I do not think so. In fact, life will be much easier for me. Less strife!
To God be the glory!
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
I have listed all my commitments and they are in order of priority:-
1) God
2) Family
3) Church
a) Missions Ministry/Local Church Executive Committee (LCEC)
b) Accountability Groups
c) Worship Team
d) Youth Ministry (YM)
Work and friends are not included and I will explain why in the subsequent paragraphs.
Below are the reasons for the way I did the above list.
1) God
He has to come first in my life because everything else below Him will fall in place if I know what His will is. Knowing Him through reading the Word; prayer; and also, once in a while, enriching myself in courses will allow me to be more effective in how I serve Him and His people. Nothing should take His place as the pre-eminence of my life.
2) Family
My family will come next. When I was younger, I did not subscribe to this idea but I have learnt from my ex-Pastor that ministry has to begin at home. If I cannot be a good testimony to my family members or be there for them when in need, I have no right to minister anywhere else. I will be a hypocrite if I do that. Whether I like it or not, God has given me a family and I have to be a good steward in this area first.
3) Church
Next is Church. This is my second family. Even for this area of my life, I need to prioritise the ministries that I am involved in. I categorised them as primary and secondary ministries.
3a) Missions Ministry/LCEC
My primary ministries are basically the Missions Ministry which I have been entrusted to lead and the LCEC which is an umbrella where all the leaders of the church come under. If there is a clash of appointments, these two ministries will come first because I cannot take the tasks God has entrusted me too lightly.
My secondary ministries will be the two accountability groups, the Worship Team and the Youth Ministry (YM). They are also in order of priority.
3b) Accountability Groups
The accountability groups have to come first as it is important to account my spiritual well-being and all other aspects of my life with the groups of brothers I have committed myself to. I can serve all I want but if there is no one whom I can account my life to, it will be a dangerous path I am taking. It is vital that these groups of brothers can help me avoid certain pitfalls of life and to support me when the going gets tough.
3c) Worship Team
3d) YM
After this comes the Worship Team and YM. These two are at the lowest in my list, not that they are unimportant. Though I love playing the drums, lead worship and minister to the youths, I have to also acknowledge that I am not the only person who can do that. There are many in the church who also have such talents and giftings and God can use them too. I cannot always be filling up empty spaces as I would eventually burn-out, if I do that. Once I am rostered to lead or play in services, I will serve but anything more than that, I will have to decline.
As mentioned, work and friends are unlisted. Below are my reasons.
As it is by default that certain hours of the day have been set aside for work, there is no need for me to prioritise this area of my life.
But two things I am certain when it comes to this part:
i) Work will never govern my life nor take the places of God, family and church! If it does, I have no qualms resigning from the current job I have. Like I said, work is basically an avenue for me to earn enough income to support my family and I and also to allow me to save a little. Everything else is secondary.
I will give my best in the number of official hours required of me to do my job but if I am asked to give more than that, I will not compromise. If any one wants to fault me for lack of commitment, so be it! One's commitment to a company is not the quantity that matters but the quality. If I can be efficient in the official hours stipulated and produce results, do not tell me that I have not given my best!
ii) The work-place is also a mission field and I will, as much as I can, be a light to my colleagues and students. Sometimes I will fail because of my shortcomings but as much as I can, I will minister to the people I am in contact with.
As for friends, it is also hard to prioritise this group. Many of my friends are already in the areas of commitments I have listed above - meaning to say, during those times when I am working or when I am serving, I am constantly in contact with them, not just on official matters but also social ones.
Sometimes when I have time available, I will make an attempt to meet and catch up with them but I have to admit also that I cannot always give my time to the same group of friends. It is a sad reality but I have to face it.
But to all my friends reading this, you can rest assured that I will be there for you when there is an urgent need in your life.
Well, what I have written so far may seem very regimental but for every one else's sake and mine, I have to do that. Am I going to be bogged down by all these priorities? I do not think so. In fact, life will be much easier for me. Less strife!
To God be the glory!
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matthew 6:33
2 comments:
hi,
Just a two cents worth from my own experience. I understand where you are coming from with regards to putting God as your 1st priority in terms of reading the bible, pray etc.. That to me is spiritual discipline. For me, putting God 1st meant obedience; obeying His commandments and submit to His lordship. And He being omnipresent, will surely be in all your priorities. What is important will be whenever He calls for obedience in any of our priorities, we are to obey and that to me is putting God 1st. =)
Hi.
Are you the Cindy I know? :)
Thank you for the reminder that putting God first is all about obedience.
It is my prayer that I will be able to obey Him at all times in every of my priority set. I know I will fumble at times but I will press on. May all of us do that for the sake of our Lord. :)
The Lord bless and keep you, sister!
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