Time Management & Serving Part 2

Hi guys,

As promised, this is my second blog entry on time management and serving. In the previous entry, I blogged about how I prioritise the many different things going on in my life based on the values I live by. This time round, I want to share some practical wisdom (for both students and young single working adults) that you can apply in your own life when it comes to time management.

I know for students, time management is a very real issue. You guys seem to have so many things to handle – school work, exams, CCAs, family commitments, ministry commitments, etc. I think as a basic guideline, it is important to avoid committing to more than you are able to handle. Many students take on too many projects and I think this stems from a problem of not knowing how to say “no”. One indicator that you’re over-committing is when you find that you have no time to spend with the Lord. Anything that robs you of your time with the Lord is something you have to reconsider taking on.

For most of the things you do, it helps to think things through and decide on how to get maximum results from the time you spend. But there are some things where quantity of time spent is important – like when it comes to your family. It’s hard to spend quality time when you’re having dinner with them just once a week. For things like that, quantity of time spent is crucial if you want quality time. I think the same goes for studies too. These are the two things, besides spending time with the Lord, that are very important for you as students.

And then there are those special seasons/months in the year where priorities change slightly. For example, in the months when exams are nearing, the priority very naturally goes to studying for your exams. When you’re having your holidays and time is a luxury, things like recreation, enrichment and exploration can take precedence.

When it comes to serving in ministry, it is important to remember that you are created in the days of your youth. I encourage you to invest your time with the Lord; invest your time in ministry; be involved in the house of God when you are young. God has given us the body of Christ, to sharpen, grow and nurture us. I think being committed to ministry is not so much about religious piety as it is about giving God the opportunity to use people to sharpen and prepare you for the careers and callings that God has in store for you.

Moving on to address young single workings adults, I think it is important to put in the extra time to refine (sometimes even define) your craft. I’m not talking about working overtime per se. I’m talking about taking the time to read up on your work, to learn more about your industry and be prepared for the work that you do.

More specifically, for those going into their first year of work, there is a need to be realistic. This is a transition period and you need to allow time to grown and learn. However, do give your weekends to your family and church. If you’ve been serving actively in ministry, I think it’s ok to re-look your commitments, and discuss with your leaders and see how you can take on a less taxing role over a period of time – maybe three months. Having said that, I would discourage anyone from pulling away from church completely. You can take a break from serving, but continue to come for services and keep in the fellowship. This keeps you safe.

Once things have stabilised and you’ve gotten used to working life however, it is good to start serving actively again. Like what I said previously, you will find that God will use the church to hone and groom you, and prepare you for the greater things that He has in store for you.

I hope these pointers have helped you in managing your time better. At the end of the day, always go back to the Lord and pray for the wisdom to prioritise and plan your time most effectively. He will surely lead and guide you according to what is best for you.

Much love,
Pastor Benjamin

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Time Management & Serving Part 1

Many people often ask me about my schedule. More specifically, they ask me how I manage to do so many things – spend time with my family, be the pastor over three ministries and run a business. I think above all else, it is the grace of God upon me that has enabled me to do what I do.

But one of the ways in which this grace manifests itself is in the form of wisdom to know how to manage everything in my life. I have learnt that my life needs to be scheduled and I live by the same schedule every week.

Some of you might ask how I decide what is more important than another. When it comes to prioritising, I prioritise based on my values. My personal time with the Lord is important to me, so I make time for it. Not just personal time with the Lord, but also my personal study time. Of course, time spent with my family is something I guard as well. All these things help me decide how to prioritise and plan my time.

So, for example, Monday and Thursday nights are family nights for me, Wednesday nights are spent in fellowship with the other pastors and Fridays are dedicated to preparing for the following Saturday’s service. These are just a few of the examples out of my entire week’s schedule. My life is so scheduled that some people might even think it’s boring!

Having said that, I do strongly believe in being led by the Lord. So while I do my planning, there is also that leading from the Lord that I am always open to, so I may not necessarily always follow the plan. This is when I allow the Lord to be involved in my decision-making process (ministry-related or not) and things become dynamic.

Another powerful principle in time management is the principle of rest. It’s always doing one thing at a time; one day at a time; one person at a time. When we live like that, there is focus and we will always be on the cutting edge. The danger is when we start to procrastinate and our minds start filling up with a whole jumble of things that we start feeling stressed and stop being effective.

So in the midst of everything, what is it that has kept me serving in ministry for the past 19 years of my life? I think at different stages of my life, different things motivated me. When I was younger and had just started serving, evangelism, reaching out to people, was really the thing that kept me motivated and in ministry. As I grew and started to understand my giftings, my giftings propelled me. And if ever I started to feel tired, friends in the ministry motivated me. Leaders have also kept me in the ministry, directly or through the preaching of God’s word. Still, at the end of the day, beyond all these things – evangelism, gifts, fellowship, leaders – it is the love of God that has kept me and it is this love that means everything to me.

At the same time, I see all these opportunities that God has given me, allowing me to see what He is doing. And the fulfilment that comes from being involved and knowing that lives are being transformed is deeply satisfying. You walk away feeling very tired, exhausted even. But you also feel like heaven is smiling at you. You feel the applause of the Father and He says, “Well done.”

These are just some things that I wanted to share with you from my life. But I also want to share some practical wisdom that you can apply in your own lives. So in my next blog entry, I’ll be giving you (both students and young single working adults) some practical tips on managing your time and positioning your priorities. So look out for it!

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