Time part 5
There's not enough of me to go around. Too much to do and not enough time in which to do it. That's a hard thing to accept, especially in my case where I want to do as much as I can for as many people as I can. Which makes priorities even more important. How we choose to use the time we have is paramount. Making sure we give what we've got to the people we are in contact with. Not trying to go outside of our lane or outside of our calling. Like my mom always says, "If you work your fingers to the bone... all you end up with is bony fingers." But she also likes the one that says, "Where do Generals keep their armies? In their sleevies!" But the point remains, sometimes we try to do too much. Sometimes we wear ourselves out by trying to do the wrong things. And, listen, I'm not saying you shouldn't help people. You ought to know by now that I think you SHOULD help people. Whenever possible. See a need that you can meet, and do it. If you have two coats, and someone doesn't have one... that's pretty easy to figure out. What I'm saying is, you can't do everything. And you aren't expected to. Not by God. And not by anybody who truly cares about you. If someone is only interested in what they can get from you... they don't really care about you. Sad but true. So setting limits is a good thing. A healthy thing. Saying no is ok. And you don't have to defend yourself or explain yourself. Self-care is ok. More than ok. It's important. There are only so many hours in the day. How you choose to use them defines how your life will play out. Because it's all about choices. If you choose to let people steam roll you or if you choose to run around like chickens with their heads cut off... you'll end up worn slap out. You'll end up with bony fingers and not much else to show for it. You have to use a little wisdom. Or at least a little common sense. Set limits. Set boundaries. Give your time to the people to whom it will be most beneficial. And that means giving AND taking (if I can say it that way, even though we know it's not about taking, per se). People that you connect with. People that fill you up instead of just draining you. RECEIVING and releasing. It is a two-part system. You can't give what you don't have. And you can only give what you do have. So you have to know what you have. You have to let God give you what HE has. And, to be clear, He has already given it to you. At this point we simply receive what we've already been given. Receive it and release it. Receive it BY releasing it. Let what's inside come out by knowing and believing that it's in there. Let what's inside come out by building those connections and relationships with the people God has set in your path. Only you can do what you can do in the way that you can do it, for the people that you can do it for. You are in a unique position to reach certain people. So do what you can do. Spend your Three T's (Time, Talent, Treasure) wisely. Don't worry about what you can't do, or who you can't reach. Focus on the things in your life that you can do. You only have so much time. It's not enough for everything and everybody. So just do your best and forget the rest!