May 3, 2026

Two simple things can help us with the danger of getting in over our heads. First take responsibility for your time. Second find ways of recovering. We are called to use our resources to the glory of God but we can’t do that if we are always reacting and never planning. 

Time is our greatest asset; we need to take responsibility for it. If others started telling us what to do with other resources say our house or savings account, we would quickly put a stop to it. Time is just as important if not more. Many of us act as if we are victims of our schedule rather than creators of them. Our time belongs to us (and more importantly God) and it’s dangerous to let others control it for us. This may mean we say no sometimes or at the very least help others understand that there are other things taking priority. The point is to be proactive instead of reactive and make conscious choices about what we spend our time on.

Recovery is how we repair the wear and tear that work and responsibilities place on our minds and bodies. It should not be viewed as wasted time or leisure time but rather productive rebuilding time. Various approaches work and you will need to find the things that work for you. Maybe it’s exercise, maybe a walk in the woods, listening to music, sleeping, reading, or something else. The point is we want to be at our best and to do that we need some time to recover so that we can come back stronger than before. There is a reason that God gave the people of Israel a day of rest. While we are not required to keep the Sabbath the principle that we need rest and recovery remains legitimate. 

No one wants to find themselves overwhelmed and stressed to the point of failure. Let’s take practical steps to avoid adding that straw that breaks the camels back by knowing how many straws we can manage and by strengthening the camel. 

God knows us and wants us to be successful in his service. Paul describes how he was able to do so much as an evangelist saying “I can do all things through him who strengthens me”

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Manage time, if you are going to be taking on more than you can chew then take small bites. Break things down and fit them into your schedule in a way that is realistic for you. Have a schedule and label it so that you can tell how much time is spent in various areas, this way you can easily see what is needed to balance your work, rest, play, and family time. 

We all want to be as effective as possible, we also know that we have limits. If we are to be responsible before God and others we need to take care how we use our time (Eph 5:16). 

~ Kevin Cleary