FINDING A ROUTINE

Two months ago the church's leadership and I agreed to a new position description - changing my title and purpose from being Senior Pastor to Lead Pastor. If you understand the philosophy of pastoral leadership, this is a very significant change; but now is not the time to unwrap that.

All of us develop routines for managing our lives and achieving our expectations. Routines are a tool of life management that
allow us work effectively, otherwise expectations are only dreams not reality. Routines allow us to organize so that we operate daily by the priorities of purpose instead of the tyranny of the urgent. Routines can be very helpful unless they become ruts that stifle creativity and defer initiative.

Part of my personal challenge is that routines are often tied to specific responsibilities. And in my case, responsibilities that cannot be dropped, they must delegated. So part of the challenge for me lately has been to find a way to step away from some responsibilities, so that I can develop a new routine that matches my new responsibilities. It is a little weird right now, sometimes a bit frustrating as I am eager to fully embrace my new responsibilities. However, if I persevere patiently and move in that direction intentionally it will become a reality and I will be able to develop and work by new routines.

Persevering patiently and moving intentionally is a good way of describing the process of becoming the person God has created you, redeemed you, and called you to be. The apostle Peter wrote these words to the early Christian church: (2 Peter 1:5-9)

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I pray that you will be able to find the routine (the pattern) and live in its discipline, so that you may be faithful and fruitful for God.