The Power Of Saving

Computers continue to teach us a powerful lesson, often on more than one occasion. It's a principle that applies to finances and memorials, and matters of great significance and importance.

It's the power of saving.

Yesterday morning, I nearly had the #communitySaturday post finished. Maybe a couple sentences away from the finishing thoughts on the prayer. And my funky, ill-timed computer and its' evil tricks, shut off. And the publishing platform doesn't always auto-save as fast as my thoughts allow me to type.

So I was on a roll, then it was lost. And this isn't the first time this has happened. Over the past 980 consecutive days of writing these #pray4pastors posts, there have been a number of them that have been rewritten to varying degrees, because I didn't save the work between thoughts, or the computer moved or something else, that things just went dark.

Such moments are neither effective, nor efficient.

Time lost to restarting the machine and logging in. Time lost to retrace my steps and mentally remember what phrases and thoughts were written down. You didn't notice it, but between "down." and "You" I just lost 20 seconds... to hit the save button and then reopen the draft and continue.  #lessonlearned. This time, at least.

It's amazing, though, how one's past intersects with one's current reality. They've either messed up and learned, having vowed and proven to either never be in such circumstances again or to handle the matter differently should such time repeat itself. Conversely, the mistakes of the past can and are easily repeated at which time, you realize they are not the person you want leading the way.

The significance of one's accomplishments particularly from the perspective of being effective and efficient lie greatly in what has been saved along the journey and the lessons that have been learned as they have kept and dismissed various situations, difficulties and decisions.

Wisdom comes from learning. The lessons with the greatest, lasting impact are the ones often learned the hard way and at times, repeatedly.

On this #effectiveSunday, pray that the lessons we learn, would indeed leave a lasting impact. May we gain wisdom and discern wisely, what we should save and what we should dismiss as we travel this life. May our impact neither be diminished nor hindered because of lost time and energy in having repeated matters that could have been avoided. Pray God would help us not to carry guilt or frustration into areas and matters of life where it has no place or justification. May we trust and cast our lives and concerns at the Cross, that we may be used for God's plans and purposes.

Effective... because of His Work in us.
Even when we seemingly work against Him.
For the glory of God
And the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC