Best wishes to you as we start 2009!
My pastor gave a great sermon recently about self-improvement for the new year. His counsel doesn’t pertain specifically to living your faith at work, but certainly if you took his advice, you would be in better position to do so.
He suggested that we look at four things in our lives.
First, he said, identify the “time hogs” in your life and do something about them. He said television takes up way too much time in many peoples lives and he encouraged people to cut back TV viewing. “If you are spending more than an hour a day in front of the television set, you are wasting your time,” he said. Personally, I think he is being lenient. I can’t see justifying more than a couple of hours a week in front of a television set.
Second, he encouraged everyone to be serious about getting enough sleep. Too many people deprive themselves of the sleep their body needs; that makes people cranky and otherwise unable to live to their potential. “If you need seven hours of sleep every night and know you need to be up by 6, then you have to get to bed by 11,” he said. “And that means you have to start winding down around 9.” Often, people try to catch up on their sleep in the weekends, but that’s a recipe for a lousy Thursday and Friday. Get the sleep you need every night and make the most of every day.
Third, set time aside for prayer. Boy, do I like this one. He suggested taking some of that TV time you are giving up to devote to prayer. “If even you could devote 15 minutes a day to prayer, it would make a big difference,” he said. You can’t have a relationship with someone if you never talk to him. Prayer is the way we communicate with God. If you are going to have a relationship with God – let along a relationship sufficient to introduce God to others – then you need to regularly talk to God.
And fourth, make time for friendships. This one is a little surprising. His point is, too many people completely give up friendship in favor of devoting all non-working time to family. Of course family time is important, and of course, your spouse may certainly be a great friend. But everyone needs other friends, so make time for them.
“Guys, your wife will be okay putting the kids to bed by herself every now and then,” he said, encouraging us to spend a night out with friends from time to time. “Ladies, take time to visit with your friends,” he said. There is a new level of loneliness that seems to have crept into our culture. People who should be filled with joy are suffering a little bit of depression because they never have any time with friends. God made us social beings. We are meant to be with other people. Friendship is a great blessing, and we should work to let it blossom.
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