MARGIN is THE SPACE I create between My LOAD and My LIMITS.
Margin is having breathing room in your life. It’s creating some reserves so you aren’t running on empty all the time. You need margin in every area of your life: You need physical margin so you don’t wear out; spiritual margin to defeat temptation and help others, emotional margin for relationships, financial margin to avoid the pressure of debt, and time margin in your schedule, so you are not always rushed and in a hurry and worn out . . . We’ll look at each of these in this series
HOW ALWAYS BEING IN A HURRY HURTS YOU
- HURRY increases my stress
“I had no time to care for myself . . .” Song of Solomon 1:6 (TEV)
- HURRY decreases my joy
“My days go by faster than a runner; they fly away without my seeing any joy.” Job 9:25 (NCV)
· HURRY makes me less productive
“A person in a hurry makes mistakes.” Proverbs 19:2b (GW)
“Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” Proverbs 21:5 (Mes)
- HURRY dries up my love
“. . . without love I am no good to anybody.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 (NLT)
· HURRY keeps me from hearing God
“Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN TO SLOW YOUR PACE
FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE
1. LEARN TO BE CONTENT
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Phil. 4:11 (NIV)
“It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time . . .” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (TEV)
“A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life but jealousy rots it away.” Proverbs 14:30 (NLT)
Action Plan: Read these two Daily Hope devotionals from Pastor Rick this week:Trust God by Learning to be ContentandSlow Down by Learning Contentment.
2. LEARN TO SAY NO
“An impulsive vow is a trap; later you’ll wish you could get out of it.” Proverbs 20:25 (Mes)
“The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” Titus 2:11-12
Action Plan: Pull out your list from last week’s Message Action Plan (click here to see last week’s MAP). Re-evaluate your list through a lens of “yes and no.” What “yes” needs to become a “no”? Confirm also that you have a built in Sabbath in your weekly schedule.
3. LEARN TO TAKE A WEEKLY SABBATH DAY OF REST
“You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to Me.” Exodus 20:9-10 (TEV
Jesus: “Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” Matthew 11:29 (Mes)
“It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know God enjoys giving rest to those He loves?” Psalm 127:2 (Mes)
4. LEARN TO TRUST IN GOD’S PERFECT TIMING
“. . . God does everything just right and on time. But people can never completely understand what He is doing.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NCV)
“These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.” Hab. 2:3 (NLT)
“We suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (GW)
5. LEARN TO USE LOVE AS YOUR FILTER
“Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that!” Ephesians 5:2 (Mes)
“Do everything in love.” 1 Corinthians 16:14 (NCV)
ASK: What is the loving thing to do here?
“God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my mind.” Psalm 51:10 (Mes)
Action Plan: Memorize Psalm 51:10 from your favorite translation. Say this verse at the start of each day.
Doable Discipleship: This week’s SPECIAL episode of Doable Discipleship features an audience Q + A session with Pastor Tom Holladay! New episodes release every Tuesday. To watch or listen, click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week’s Talk It Over, click here.
