One of the biggest daily challenges facing pastors is how to set priorities for each day. Oh yes, I know that some lay people think their pastor has a fairly easy job—after all, he or she really only has to work for one hour on Sunday, right?
We who labor in ministry know better. Every day seems filled with an ever-rotating set of demands on our time. While a person outside the ministry might think we have lots of time to study God’s Word, to pray, and to think about ways to encourage those in our congregations to grow in their walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, the truth is we often have to fight hard to find time to do even rudimentary Bible study and prayer.
Years ago, someone gave me a cartoon that shows a business man sitting at a large oak desk. In front of him is about one hundred small pieces of equal-sized paper arranged in very neat rows and columns. The caption reads, “I just can’t seem to get anything done if I don’t make a little note.” I often thought that one stiff breeze would turn this man’s world upside down. I wonder, as he looks at all those little notes, if he even knows where to begin in order to prioritize his day.
It’s important for pastors to learn how to set priorities. It’s equally important to understand that the very method used to set priorities will vary greatly from pastor to pastor. God has uniquely gifted each one of us. He has given us particular styles of problem solving. What may work very well for me, might just tie you up in knots.
The best I can do for you in this regard is to urge you to find a way that works for you to set priorities for each of your days. I would suggest you do this first thing in the morning by allowing God to give you specific guidance for the day that lies ahead. Take the time to make a brief, written map for your day. Recognize that at any time God might bring something new into your day that will totally disrupt your plan. But by making an effort to set a plan for your day, you will at least know the tasks that you should tackle first. This kind of planning will reap the reward of giving you more control over the time in each of your days.
If you would like to listen to me share more about this subject of “Setting Priorities,” I invite you to listen to the Sermon-Coach.com Podcast for this week. It’s Podcast No. 182. You may listen by clicking on the link you will find on this page.
God has a unique plan for each of our days. He will certainly honor our attempts to do our best to use the time He has given us as wisely as possible.
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Please click here to visit David Mains’ Sermon-Coach.com website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Please click here.
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