YOU CAN BE OVERLOADED BY:
Activity Work Information
Choices Debt Accessibility
Change Worries The Pace of Life
“I have no peace! I have no quiet! I have no rest! And trouble keeps coming!” Job 3:26 (GW)
MARGIN: Is the space between my load and my limits
LIVING WITH A MARGIN: Not using up all I have, but reserving some of my time, energy, and resources for the unexpected.
“You have six days to do your work, but every seventh day you must stop and rest! Do this so that you, and your animals, and your house staff and your foreign workers may be refreshed.” Exodus 23:12
THE BENEFITS OF LIVING WITH A MARGIN
- HEALTHIER MIND
- HEALTHIER BODY
- HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS \
- AVAILABLE FOR GOD TO USE
FIRST STEPS TO LIVING WITH A MARGIN
ACCEPT MY HUMAN LIMITATIONS
“I have learned that everything has limits . . .” Psalm 119:96 (TEV)
“Our time is limited. You (God) have given us only so many months to live and have set limits we cannot go beyond.” Job 14:5 (NCV)
- ASK MYSELF WHAT DRIVES ME TO OVERLOAD MY LIFE?
“Some people are never satisfied with what they own, and they never stop working to get more. They should ask themselves, “Why am I always working to have more? What a senseless and miserable life!” Ecclesiastes 4:8 (CEV)
Action Plan: On a piece of paper, make two columns. Label the first ‘My Schedule’ and the second column ‘Purpose’. In the first column write down everything you have scheduled for the coming week, including weekends. Include both personal and professional. In the second column, write down the purpose for each. You’ll use this more below.
- EXPECT PROBLEMS AND DELAYS
Jesus: “In this world you WILL have trouble!” John 16:33 (NIV)
“Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.” Proverbs 22:3 (TEV)
- ADD BUFFER SPACE IN MY SCHEDULE
“It is senseless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, fearing you’ll starve to death; for God wants his loved ones to get their proper rest.bPsalm 127:2 (LB)
“Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.” Eccl. 10:15 (TEV)
Action Plan: Take the piece of paper with your two columns that you made in #2 above and start adding time in each day for you to take a mental break between scheduled events. Block time on your calendar that nobody can touch. Take these moments to talk to God, to hand over any anxieties you may be feeling.
- PRUNE MY ACTIVITIES REGULARLY
“There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away.” Ecclesiastes 3:6 (NCV)
“We should remove from our lives anything that would get in the way and the sin that so easily holds us back.” Hebrews 12:1b (NCV)
“Everything is permissible for me – but not everything is beneficial.” 1 Cor. 6:12 (NIV)
“Some of you are keeping things God commanded you to destroy. You will never defeat your enemies until you throw away those things.” Joshua 7:13 (NCV)
Action Plan: Look at your two columns and honestly assess what scheduled events you can remove from your schedule to provide you more time. Take steps to remove what you can in order to ensure you have enough margin and time for a daily quiet time with God.
- WALK WITH JESUS AND LEARN
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matt. 11:28-30 (Mes)
