You don’t need me to tell you how to order your life. At your age, you’re pretty good at it, right?
Maybe not.
Life is like a two-year-old computer that’s so loaded down with data that it doesn’t work as well as it used to. I’ve been there – with the computer and with life. Sometimes it helps to reboot.
There was a time when everything flowed smoothly. But new adventures, chapters, and people can crowd out the most important things.
So, with a view toward cleaning up your life’s computer, here are 5 tips to reorder and reboot your life.
1. Re-prioritize your priorities
The Christian must be anchored in Jesus. His walk with the Lord always takes priority over everything else. The Christian must be anchored in Jesus. His walk with the Lord always takes priority over everything else. Click To Tweet “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33). That’s pretty clear. Put God first in our lives. Assess the place of prayer, devotion, worship, study, and service. If it is not first, make the change.
Next, reinvigorate your relationship with your spouse. When everything else in life crumbles, they will be the one standing beside you. Take a day away from work and spend it doing whatever he/she wants to do.
Now, invest in your children. It need be nothing big; just some time spent talking and hanging will pay dividends.
Finally, you can then think about work. We need to work, and Christians should be the best workers in the building (1 Timothy 5:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:10). But many give work too high of a place among their priorities.
2. Redraw your schedule
Schedules are great if you use them! We all have calendars built into our phones. Use them!
The more you schedule, the more your life will be ordered. Make sure to include daily time for prayer and devotion. Block out family time too. That way, when someone asks, you can honestly reply that you already have an appointment at that time.
3. Revisit your responsibilities
It’s important to be a person of responsibility. To have that kind of reputation, accept all responsibility for your actions. When you stumble, say so. When you fail, admit it.
People do not like those who shirk responsibilities and blame others for their own failures. The only job I ever walked away from was when I worked for a boss who always blamed others for his shortcomings. People don’t like that. Step up and be responsible.
4. Remember to be thankful
Life is so fast, and we are in such a hurry, that thankfulness has disappeared.
Notice how often Paul expressed his gratefulness for the Christians he knew and especially for his Lord (c.f. Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; Ephesians 1:16 et al.).
Your kind, grateful words are the oil that lubricates every interaction. Your kind, grateful words are the oil that lubricates every interaction. Click To Tweet
5. Remember humility
Here’s a little secret: You’re not the best. I know, your kids think you are (especially if they haven’t started school yet), but we are just average. The only useful comparisons are to those proclaimed as humble by the Lord.
Moses was humble. John the Baptist was humble. Jesus was more humble than all (John 13:1-20). And even if we were as humble as Moses, John or Jesus, or humility would prevent us from thinking it!
When I accept the reality of my feeble life, I will no longer demand to be first or to have my way with everything. I will be far more accepting of others and much more grateful for the grace that saves me.
Here is the point. It is always helpful to stop and reconsider life and our place in it. Most of the time, what we need most a quick reboot, don’t you think?
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