No Time For This

"Why is it for every good thing you do around here, we've got to endure three screw-ups?"

I've often felt as Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman, as President Bartlet expresses this sentiment to him during the third season of The West Wing.

As I'm waiting for the loading process of my laptop this morning, this quote popped in to my mind, as a friend acknowledged the struggle from yesterday's post in a real-life moment of transparency.

I can't state it often enough... nobody is perfect and I'm am far from being closest to the top of the list. If I am, the list is in the order of farthest away first. Descending? Yes. (*insert brain freeze)

The statement accurately portrays every struggle to be effective and efficient and the frustration that set-backs and failures cause in the process. Whether in the politics of an administration, the business dealings of a company on the move or a church with a keen sense of the closeness of eternity, we've all said the following:

We don't have time for this today...

...mistakes, accidents, attitudes, drama, slowness, bad decisions, misunderstandings, distractions, traffic and down-right, colossal screw-ups.

Whether the fall-out is short-lived and recovery is but 5 minutes, or disaster strikes and the come-back is 5 years, the struggle is real and the road is hard.

People get hurt along the way.
Expectations get damaged.
Perceptions get skewed.

It happens to the best and brightest among us; for even Josh's co-worker Sam admits a couple episodes later in the series;

I love Josh like a brother. And his world-class political mind. But until today, I had no idea he was smarter than me."

As I've oft stated before, ministry is work. In the effort to be efficient and effective we need all the help, in heaven and on earth, to accomplish the work of the Lord.

Pray, this #effectiveSunday, for the Hand of God to strength and minister for those who feel as Josh and I have; being the screw-up more often than we've gotten "right." May their be a grace as they work and that God would grant them insight and direction as they go about their tasks, to do them well, working as unto the Lord. Pray also for leadership, as it's frustrating to see a person make mistakes and have to endure the set-backs that hinder the work and efforts of the church or organization. May their be a peace and a patience in their response, not that it doesn't go undealt with, but with wisdom from on High, for the glory of God. May such times be opportunities, in which God would move on our behalf to accomplish His will; that though it may seem we've undone God's Work, He is not caught off-guard and scrambling for solutions.

Indeed, He works all things for good.
Created to do good works
Extended grace for when we fall and fail.
That our lives and all we do would point back to Christ
To be used by God, not by our skills or knowledge, 
But for our willingness and availability.
For the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC

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