I can't believe today is the first day of a new month. January literally sped right by me, leaving me in its dust. I've been in a state of shock for most of today, with a few moments of awareness shining through. Then, I listened to a message from Chip Ingrim and it was like a 2X4 hitting me in the face. He talked about 6 symptoms of misplaced priorities in your life.
1. Busyness. Yes.
2. Emotional Stress. (It may come out in anger and irritability or disconnecting or just reacting rather than responding.) YES.
3. Low grade guilt. This, he explains, is a sense of restlessness- like not doing or being enough for (fill in the blank). Crap, Yes.
4. Financial debt or problems. (Our money will tell us a lot about priorities.) Definitely gotten lazy with the budget, so Yes.
5. Prayerlessness or deficits in our time with God. (We might begin to be superficial with God, going through the motions.) I alway want more time with God, so a little yes.
6. Escapism behavior. (Examples: eating out a lot, renting a lot of movies, eating when you're not hungry, etc.) Crap, Crap, Crap, Yes.
OK, maybe this explains why January is gone with little recollection of it. Since I don't want a repeat of last month, I'm going to face reality and make some changes. What they will be I'm not sure of yet. But, lo, change is a comin'. What I do know is it starts with slowing down!
Agree with #5 --- Nothing like being in the presence of the Lord. He soothes the aches of our hearts, brings peace in the storms, and causes us to love when it just seems to be impossible in the natural!
ReplyDeleteIt's like what we talked about on Sunday - making time in our life (margin, I guess) for the important things, the things that matter. You know, why I have my "Year of No." Ha! But this is great - it's always good to reevaluate our priorities and make sure they're where they should be ... and if they aren't, to fix them.
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