Over the past several months my promptness to arriving early to meetings, events, and almost all appointments has been nonexistent. And, for someone like me who is hard on herself for every non-perfect outcome, this is a new attribute that I am not happy about.
I've thought a lot about this, yet, it seems that I try to cram too much into the time right before I leave to head to an appointment, and before I know it I am running 5 minutes late. And, I don't want to be known as the one who always runs late, or the one who doesn't respect others and their time.
So, what am I going to do about this little issue that has crept up in my daily life.
What All Jesus Girls Would Do.......I Began Praying About It. Asking the Lord to give me discernment into my schedule, and what things I was doing to make this time thing harder on myself. As God really began making me more aware of my planning and scheduling, He also revealed to me through devotions and prayer time the importance of being on time. I learned being late often reveals more
about my heart than my organizational skills. I have begun changing my attitude toward being prompt and really making an effort to be a good steaward of my schedule. Things are starting to change. Little by little.
And, I found a blog devotion the other day that really gave insight to God's view on my "time" issues:
Being on time …
Tests my responsibility: God is always watching to
see how faithful I am with the little He has given me. While we may
dismiss certain areas of our lives as inconsequential, every daily
practice has value to shape our character. Choosing to be on time is
one way I can practice being trustworthy.
Honors others: “They never start on time anyway!”
That thought bought me a few more minutes and justified a stop at
Starbucks even though I was running late. But whether the meeting
starts on time or not doesn’t justify being late. Arriving on time
shows honor to the person who organized it. And I can offer to help the
host with last-minute details.
Increases my ability to love: When I’m in a hurry,
my capacity to love others diminishes. It starts with those closest to
me as I get snippy and impatient. But showing up late also prohibits me
from spending time with others. If I sneak in the back after something
has started, I’ve lost opportunities to chat and catch up with people I
care about. Just a few extra minutes gives me a chance to give someone
a hug and ask about her children. It’s amazing how loved people feel
with a bit of time and attention.
Teaches me discipline: I’ve found that if I want to
make big changes in my life, I have to start with little ones. Being
on time develops discipline … and that’s something I desperately need
more of. It’s a training ground for bigger things.
There are lots of tips for being on time, like packing bags the day
before, and doing what needs to be done first. But the best tips for me
has been getting to the heart of the matter. Once the benefits of
being on time outweighed the benefits of being late, things started to
change.
I’m not perfect in this area. I still have a hectic schedule, with deadlines and commitments that are always demanding more of me. Yet, as the Lord reveals the true heart of the issue to me, I am now encouraged that I can get back on track in this area of my life, and allow the Holy Spirit to give me discernment and strength throughout each day so that I may be a good steward of the smallest things in my life, which is what we are commanded to do as Children of the King.
Have a blessed Thursday!!
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