SGP Blog #1
Step 1: EVALUATE & DETERMINE YOUR PRIORITIES
I get it. You’re busy. I’m busy. We’re all busy. In our culture today, we all stay constantly busy. It’s almost a ‘badge of honor’ these days to be busy. The problem is that we have all allowed ourselves to become too busy (Go back and read the blog on “Bandwidth”).
Here’s the bottom line: you’re busy and you don’t have time for more “things” on your schedule, but the reality is that you make time for the things that are important to you. Yes, there are things that we cannot avoid, but even within that, we still make adjustments and prioritize the things we value. Whether or not you realize it, you ARE prioritizing things every day. Example: you rarely go without eating. What you eat (healthy, home-cooked, fast food, etc) is a choice. How you eat (sit down at the table, meet someone for lunch, grab a burger while driving, etc.) is a choice.
As you get ready for 2025, which begins THIS WEEK:
Evaluate where you are now - where your heart is and what your priorities have been in recent weeks/months. Determine what adjustments need to be made in the rhythm of your daily/weekly life.
Check out the 2025 Spiritual Growth Plan and the Worksheets on our website to help you think through these things (My two recommendations for Reading & praying is at the bottom of this blog).
As you go into 2025, determine that, while there are many important elements in your life, the main priority will be the spiritual aspect of your life.
Before you do anything else, determine that you’ll prioritize time in God’s Word and prayer in your rhythm/routine. If that’s already a baseline, think through how you can improve that time, either in quality or quantity. You might need to be more disciplined in that time, have a better plan, or simply spend more time in daily devotion.
And be sure to write it out somewhere in some form. Writing it down (whether in a physical journal, or as a note somewhere in your phone) will help you to solidify and complete your thoughts as well as provide a record of what you’ve decided. You can always change and adjust later as needed.
Remember: you already have priorities. The idea here is to make sure that they’re right priorities.
READ James 1, Psalm 90, & Ephesians 5:15-16, “So then, be careful how you walk, not as unwise people but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
PRAY Ask the Lord to help you assess your priorities and embrace His. Think His thoughts after Him. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
Check out tomorrow’s blog for a few more thoughts, hints, and helps as you get ready for a great 2025!
Grace & Peace
Pastor Rob
Here are two excellent resources for your Daily Devotional Time. I use both of these:
Daily Reading Bible - several options here
The DRB is available in paperback or a nice faux leather. If you order this now, you won’t receive it by the first, but let me know and I’ll make sure you get the appropriate list of verses each day until your DRB arrives.
Prayer Guide - paperback
Prayer Guide - leather bound
Both guides are the same, but one is slimmer and leather bound. You can also get the Prayer Guide for Kindle here.