Before you read ahead, hold on! Can I ask you to count the number of time management courses you have taken? Many? Hmm… Were they actually useful or did you just waste more time by trying to learn how to master time?

While you’re still thinking, let me tell you, I have taken a time management course in almost every season of my life. In school, in junior college, during my graduation and now a gazillion courses even while I’m working. And, similarly so, there was this one time, at work, I was given a mandatory time management course from ‘Harvard’. Seeing that it was from Harvard, I got excited and immediately jumped to start the course only to realize that it was 2 ½ hours long.

My immediate response was “you’re joking? I already have 10 hours of work that I don’t know how to complete and you’re trying to teach me time management by taking additional 2 ½ hours of my time?”

That really made me think….

I’ve taken up multiple courses, got excited, implemented those tips, and even went ahead and made great schedules and timetables only to fail each time and wait for the next course to motivate me.

Finally, fed up with failing I asked the Holy Spirit, “this is not working! what to do?”

And I was reminded of these words spoken by Prophet Derrick D’souza “you won’t be able to grow if you can’t manage time. And time gets managed when you listen to the Holy Spirit and not by making timetables.”

 The key!

Ouch…. That word hit me hard….

But I finally got the key! I trashed all those courses. I trashed all my timetables. I trashed all my schedules! I trashed my unreasonable to-do lists!

And don’t get me wrong, I’m not against schedules, courses, to-do lists or the tips that they share. And if it works for you, great! But if you’re someone like me who can make great timetables and keep up to none, this one is for you, if only you can grab it!

The Bible says in Jeremiah 10:23 (AMP)
“O LORD, I know that the path of [life of] a man is not in himself; It is not within [the limited ability of] man [even one at his best] to choose and direct his steps [in life]..”

Read that again….

So, if even at our best, it is not for us to choose and direct our steps, then why are we even trying? Why are we striving to figure it out all by ourselves? Instead, why don’t we LISTEN, and be led? Instead, why don’t we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us?

The question that changed everything

So, I started dropping my agendas and big plans. I started listening. Yes, I started listening to the Holy Spirit. I started acknowledging that the Holy Spirit will instruct me and show me exactly what I need to do. (Psalm 32:8)

I started asking: Should I do this now? Is it the right time? How to complete it? How can I do this faster?

And as I kept asking, one question changed everything for me:

“What is it that You want me to do ‘right now?’”

Just by asking this question I started getting wisdom on what I needed to do in that very moment. This took so much pressure off my back. I stopped rushing. I stopped counting how many hours I had and how many hours I needed for a given task.

I started looking out for grace.

I started focusing and getting results.

And this is what happened!

I realized that many times I would have 20 tasks on my to-do lists. 20 tasks out of my flesh. 20 tasks impossible to complete within 24 hours. But, even though I would expect to accomplish only 5 of those tasks in a day, there was grace to complete all 20. At times I would end up completing only 5 tasks. But guess what? Those 5 tasks were seasoned with grace and all that was actually required for the day. And at times, all I needed to do was drop everything and linger in His presence.

And yes! There is a ‘grace’ for every task.

You see, we can try to do as much as we want. But if it’s without grace it will just result in additional time lost, additional effort wasted, and mediocre results.

So, stop being a doer!

Instead, next time can you take a pause? Can you ask? Can you listen? And then do (act)?

Next time, can you first look out for the grace that is available for that task?

Hey, I hope you’re not disappointed that you didn’t get a blog post having 3 tips on how you can manage time better. Trust me, you don’t need that! But if you’ve read so far, I’m sure you’ve got the key. And I pray you will get a tailor-made, customized, personalized strategy from the Holy Spirit, as you began to listen! And I can guarantee you, as you heed to that Voice, you will never again need another course to motivate you to master time.

Also, if you’re someone who is always making this excuse: “I don’t have TIME”. Don’t miss the below video.

XOXO
Rinnah

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