The Secret to Being Productive

Getting started.

So often that is the hardest thing.  I just spent months not able to motivate myself or be motivated by anything.  So, if that's you, I feel your pain.  And I pray that this helps.

But getting started isn't the secret.  Grace is.

Specifically, God's grace.

Last month as I was looking at Romans, Chapter 8, I was gripped again by the amazing grace that God gives His children. Not only does He save us through faith in Jesus, He adopts us into His forever family.  He then gives us His Spirit to dwell within us.

What does it look like to live our lives with His Spirit living in us?  Paul gives us more information in Galatians (5:22-23):

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control

For me, all of those things made sense, but self-control did not seem to "match."

All the others can be expressed toward others.  It has always made sense to me that others need to see the "fruit."

But self-control?

Self-control speaks to me of "discipline."

Discipline quickly takes my mind to "work."

And work seems to oppose "grace."

But with every fiber of my being, I know I need grace.

And then this gem, also from Paul:

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 

1 Corinthians 15:10

AHA!

I need God's grace to be able to work, to be disciplined, to have self-control, to be productive!  That is why it's evidence of His Spirit in me!

When I'm self-controlled, I am choosing to live in the Spirit.  I am choosing to be dependent on God so that I can love like He loves, be gentle like He is, show kindness like He would, etc.  THEN others see the fruit of His Spirit in me.

When I am self-controlled, I am living out of my identity. 

I am His child and the only way I can live is as His child.  No going back. 

Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. 

Romans 8:12-13

I think the word "obligation" also startled me.   But it's not a "you have to follow this rule" kind of obligation, but "you can't help but to live this way because it is who you are now."

So, by the grace of God, I wrapped up 2017 and all of its disappointments and am looking with excitement at what God has in store for me as His child.  And I am getting started because of His grace working in me.

I strive to be organized and productive not for the sake of doing more things, but for the sake of doing the right things.

I want to be free to respond to His leading as I use my time and energy and whatever resources He has given me.  I want to be free from distraction so I can focus and be intentional.  I want to make time for what matters.

And I want to help others who may also want to walk this journey of making time for God and the people and things He has for us.

Ready to get started?