Part of learning how to balance work and life involves recognizing who should be in charge of your schedule. If you are the one in charge, you’ll fill up your time with things to do that may or may not matter in the bigger picture. But if you'll allow God to show you what's most important, you'll no longer be too busy to do the kind of work that has eternal value. Our self-imposed busyness can keep us from clearly hearing God’s will for our lives. This post from Regi Campbell will help you learn how to let God be the boss of your schedule to help you balance your work and your life.

"Is Your Task the Boss... or is God?" by Regi Campbell

I keep finding myself wrapped around the axle, bound up in the tension between getting stuff done and a peaceful life.

In a way it doesn’t matter what I’m working on, the task becomes the boss and I’m consumed by it. It can be Christian work, business, or serving my wife, family and friends. Result is the same. I go and go and go and wind up tired and sad. There’s never enough time. There’s more to do now than when I started. And when I look at what I’ve spent myself for, it’s not the good stuff. More ties than wins. More okay than joy.

Then God...

Isn’t that what it says a lot in Scripture? "Then God." 

Then God starts to show up. Starts to press into me. Starts to whisper. Starts to convict.

It’s not that I’ve been doing bad stuff. Not that at all.

It’s Him wanting me to have some company. Him wanting to be a part of it, not when it’s finished or in trouble, but while it’s going on. While I’m in it.

Actually, before I start.

You see, the part I keep forgetting is asking Him in at the beginning. I keep assuming I know what He wants me to do. It’s not hard to figure out what He doesn’t want me to do. He doesn’t want me on bad websites or pulling for Alabama… I know that much without asking. But what does He want me to do? Who does He want me to reach out to? What does He want to teach me from the Scripture I’m reading or the relationship that’s a little messed up right now?

A disciple of Jesus is a “learner and follower.” I follow someone who’s invisible by asking where He wants me to go and then going there. I learn when I obey. He knows where He’s going… where He’s working... whom He’s engaged with. If I go where He tells me, engage with whom and what He points me to, He’ll be there… ahead of me. He’ll be working. I get to watch. If I don’t ask Him for direction, I can miss these divine appointments, these opportunities to be blessed and to be a blessing. He doesn’t need me. He’s going to do what He’s going to do anyway. But He wants to bless me… to build my faith by letting me be involved. Play a part. Watch Him work. See His glory when He does.

I can’t be the hands and feet of Christ if my feet are always running and my hands are always full of things, to-do lists, and calendars chocked full of appointments He’s not involved in. And neither can you.

Let’s ask Him “Who would you have me reach out to Lord?” “Who needs a touch?” “What would you have me say or do?” And then do it—that day… without delay.

Read
Romans 12:2

Pray
Forgive me for being so busy that I couldn’t hear Your plans for me. Help me stop running and doing so I can recognize what is most important in my life.

Reflect
Who controls my calendar?

Respond
Begin each day with a prayer asking God to show you the tasks that are most important to Him, and then respond by doing those first.

You are probably beginning to see that work/life balance doesn’t just happen. It takes some work and some planning—and a lot of prayer and rest. Once you start listening to God and getting His input on your priorities and task list, you might find it’s time to redefine your idea of success into something that gives you better work/life balance. The next post shows you how.