As I write today, I am very busy. Though I got an early start this morning and have been busy since, I will not complete all I need to do. The most frustrating part is that I am already two days late in writing this blog, as well as a week late on other priorities. New items are also continually being added to the list. Even as I write, several smaller tasks have popped up that required immediate attention.
WHEN YOU JUST CAN’T SEEM TO GET IT ALL DONE
Have you experienced one of these days? Most people probably have. Hopefully, it is not every day, but it may be regular enough that you can identify with trying to get it all done. All of my days are not like above, but today is, and I have had many others that are as well.
My natural inclination on days like today is to simply work harder. I may begin working faster, with greater focus, longer hours, or even both. It is a good way to get more done, but it can not continue forever. It is a good way to make mistakes, burn out, and break down.
Most of us have heard, “don’t work harder, work smarter.” It is always helpful to consider ways to work more efficiently and effectively, but sometimes, it seems like we are already working as hard and as smart as we can. Yet, we still can not seem to get it all finished. We not only feel the pressure of deadlines, unfinished tasks, and an ever growing “to do” list, but we begin to feel overwhelmed and helpless. That is a good time to remind ourselves that, “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth” (Psalm 121:1).
THE TWO SECOND PRINCIPLE
If you have experienced a day like the one I have had, “The Two Second Principle” has helped me many times over the years. The Two Second Principle is this: God can do more in two seconds than we could do collectively in a lifetime. This truth is expressed in Genesis 1:3 when God said, “Let there be light and there was light.” By just His Word, God spoke light (and all of creation) into existence. All of humanity working together for a hundred years could not have created light or anything else, OUT OF NOTHING, but God did. In two seconds, God can do far more than we can in a hundred years no matter how hard we work. That is the Two Second Principle, and it is a principle we need to learn to live by.
This principle reminds us of why it is so imperative that we do not neglect our time with God. Developing and maintaining an intimate relationship with God is so critical for so many reasons. If we take time to pray, we will accomplish more and do it better, than if we are “too busy” to take time to pray. Remember Psalm 127:1, “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” The Maker of Heaven and Earth is our help, and He can make sure everything is completed when it needs to be finished. We are never too busy to pray, we are too busy to not pray!
As Lent commences on Ash Wednesday, we are entering a time of introspection and prayer leading to Easter. Let us reflect on the significance of death preceding resurrection, urging readers to embrace a daily practice of surrendering self in preparation for our spiritual transformation.