Interrupted...

I just want to say thanks, to those of you who join us daily in praying for our pastors, missionaries and church leadership. I trust and pray this is a blessing and is accomplishing the miraculous for the kingdom of God.

In terms of consecutive posts, today is #697! I can hardly believe how much time has passed and I continue to be blown away by the perspectives I sense God granting to me daily for the next post. In fact as I reflected yesterday on the volume of posts that exist now, I couldn't help but consider the ironies of God.

On rare occasion, there's been an event or conversation that has happened days after a post, but much more frequently, probably weekly if one were to keep track, the ironies come hours and at times, even mere minutes after a posted has gone forth. It's a remarkable phenomenon to reflect on, as I have shared them with friends at certain times.

Yet no matter what it is that you are working on, distractions will come. As a friend reminded me last night, even when you think you get a few good days in, the enemy attacks.

"Oh, all is well? How do you feel about this?" (insert new problem or dilemma)

We all get distracted and thrown off task. Yet let me say this... except for in the event of certain death or disaster, where you are found to be the only source of help, there really isn't so great a crisis to interrupt you that can't wait a few more minutes or sometimes even seconds, for you to finish the task at hand. Even if you can get to a place where you can safely walk away for a while without losing your place... for walking away to deal with the distraction can so disrupt the task, that it will cost you time for sure and potentially even money by not finishing.

Whether you get thrown off in the preparations that will make a task easier or you are actually working on the task and get called away, distractions have the potential to cause disaster or at least wreak some havoc into your life. It happens in the largest of organizations, it happens in the smallest details at home and it certainly can happen in ministry.

There will always be a new problem arising that will be trying to gain the attention worthy of being put at the top of the priority list. The problem is that you will find yourself stressed beyond what is necessary, for you will continually find yourself in crisis management mode, rather than productive, getting-stuff done mode. Sure, there are days and times for crisis mode, but making it a pattern of living... well, they pay experts good money to handle that kind of work.

So, thanks for joining me again, this #deaconThursday. Would you pray for church leadership and operations. Even as our church faces some projects to take care of on our campus, some of them unexpected, others were known in advance; may God grant wisdom and direction in managing and resolving these issues. Pray for the resources to made available to implement solutions; pray for the conversations that will occur in pursuit of those solutions. Though man makes plans in his heart, may God guide the steps our leaders.

That He may receive glory.
Even in the mundane and the daily tasks.
Whether they be trite and minor
Or major and heavy-hitting,
May God help us remain focused.
On the task at hand;
To the purpose which He has called us.

- PNC

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