It felt like a wave of disorientation crashed down upon me. I had established a workable routine. Then, unexpectedly, multiple personal aspirations simultaneously raced towards me as must-deal-with-now issues. My schedule, monthly priorities, and workable routine were overwhelmed, then seemed to vaporize. I felt like I was being buried alive, trying to stop my car after being broadsided by a 150-mph gust of wind, or losing my mind! Yikes!! When did that last happen in your life?
Gratefully, my mind and emotions slowly re-stabilized! In its wake were challenging pending pressures, but when they merged, they slowed to a more manageable pace. So much for the value of prioritizing—or is it? Can we live fruitful lives without having core value priorities? When a person has strong core values, those priorities serve in an analogous way as instincts serve a falling cat that ends up on his feet.
Priorities reveal the true character and core values of a person. They speak far louder than words or deeds. If our daily choices, which are products of our priorities, revolve around our desire for pleasure (just to have fun), things (possessions), or pride (need to be number one and control others), James 4:1-10 explains our priorities are self-centered. This will lead us to experience conflict wherever we go. On the other hand, if our daily choices revolve around seeking to live under God’s authority and allow Him to control every part of our daily life, we will experience closeness to God. Let the peace of Christ rule [be umpire] in your heart (Col. 3:15).
To be clear; while most people live totally for themselves, few live totally under God’s authority. A Christian’s spiritual journey consists of progressive shifting from being mostly self-centered to living mostly under God’s authority. The more we depend on the Holy Spirit’s leading and empowerment, the faster we are transformed into spiritual maturity. When we pause and look back over the last 6 months or year, we can see how we have matured or become more like Jesus. We can get a decent glimpse of my progress after having endured stressful crashing waves of mental and emotional disorientation. If I am still pressing hard at becoming spiritually mature or being like Jesus, I can rejoice in the God of my salvation. If not, I must be a person of integrity and seriously seek His guidance on what life adjustments will position me to better ‘land on my feet’ when encountering my next trial.
I recommend you proactively consider this. If a court investigator examined your daily choices over the last 3 months, what verdict do you suspect he might determine are your working life priorities? Do you believe they would represent what you want them to be, or do you have a sense of what you need to do to better prepare yourself before that next wave hits you? If you have become aware of something that needs to change, GREAT because that revelation from God indicates He is ready and willing to guide and empower you to make those changes. Considering these thoughts again makes me pause once more to think about the choices I will be making regarding how I use my time, how deeply I value experiencing God’s presence, and how clearly my choices in life reflect Jesus to those around me.