Spiritual Training Cycle: Submission (wk. 5/13)
Have you ever run out of patience? You know, like a car runs out of gas, your patience just totally hits empty? I bet whatever caused you to lose your patience was frustrating. Maybe it was some annoying, repetitive thing that finally made you lose it. Maybe it was something you were hell-bent on controlling but you ended up losing all control instead. There’s a secret to not running out of patience, and if you learn how to use this secret, you’ll find yourself with a new level of cool. The secret to unlimited patience is timing.
Timing is everything. One or two sessions of Olympic weightlifting are all you need to know just how critical timing really is. When we rush it, we miss it. Not just the lift in the gym but also your patience in life. The reason you run out of patience is because you get your timing wrong. When you learn how to adjust your timing, life slows down and you find all the patience you need. Here’s exactly how to get your timing right. Start by reversing your productivity.
Sure, everyone loves to be productive, including me. But if you have a calendar that’s bursting at the seams or a to-do list that’s a mile long, your desire for productivity is going to throw off your timing. It will. And when that new thing at work gets dropped in your lap or your kid’s karate lesson runs long or the check-out line at the grocery is backed up, you’re at risk to lose it altogether. Reverse your productivity by building margin into your life.
Think of margin as white space for your life. It’s the extra area where nothing is happening – on purpose. Yes, on purpose. Patient people get that way by organizing their lives so they have extra time in their day. Extra time in their travel. Extra time at the office. It’s the same amount of time you have, only organized differently. Reverse your productivity by creating margin in your life and there you’ll find more patience.
Reverse your productivity by creating margin in your life and there you’ll find more patience.
The easiest way to find margin is to admit you need help. And for me, there’s no one better at helping me find margin than God. God is in the margin business. Think of all the space He’s created for you! Even in the beginning when God was creating everything, He found margin. He created to space to enjoy all he had created. And He’s the true Timekeeper in life.
God’s Spirit wants to help you. All you have to do is ask. Allow the Holy Spirit to be your spiritual fitness coach. Let Him reverse your priorities. In His power you’ll find the capacity you need to create margin so you can experience true peace and joy in life. And a big dose of patience as well. The secret to patience is not your timing. It’s God’s timing.
Questions for Reflection:
What situations deplete your patience?
Do you feel like you have margin in your life?
What does a life organized around God’s timing look like?
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