1989 Journal Entry - Quiet Time and Organizing

OK, this may be the most verbose post I ever post! I took a bit of time to read back through some journal entries from back in the day. This was actually my 4th year of 5 in Minneapolis at North Central Bible College. I'm pretty amused by how passionate I was about organization...especially since I still spend so much time planning. Anyway...here's to journaling!

Friday, September 15, 1989 [Carlson Hall, #407, NCBC, Downtown Mpls]

Lord Jesus, I really feel compelled to journalize today.  For four days now, Monday through Thursday, I've been using my quiet time for personal organization and administration.  It's been different but I really believe it's been the right thing.  I believe that a consistent quiet time should be there primarily to meet the deep spiritual need in response to God's love.  For me right now that need is ordering my private world.

I would like to pose this question in a fairly universal manner: Why is personal organization necessary to awesome spiritual life?  Why?  Why does everything in my life need to be in control before I can effectively and consistently touch God in prayer?  Why do my files need to be decently ordered?  Why do my books need to be properly shelved?  Why is my QT easier when my bed is made and things are picked up off the floor?  Why?

In answering this question, I must first ask another: What is the purpose of being organized?  The purpose of organization in my life is that I might meet the responsibilities which I have chosen in an attempt to glorify God by becoming Christlike.  Of course, much rests upon the actual choosing of responsibilities.  However, in the interest of staying on topic, I'll assume that all of my present responsibilities have been chosen by God's wisdom through the tutelage of the Holy Spirit.  These responsibilities make up the majority, the vast majority of my daily life.  Is it right that they take up so much of my time?  Yes, I believe it is, because these responsibilities comprise the practical living-out of my faith in the presence of fellow-believers and fellow-human beings.  Alright, if the responsibilities are in proper perspective, what part does personal organization then play in the fulfilling of those responsibilities?

October '89

Monday, October 9, 1989 [C407]

Continuing from my last entry, I believe that personal organization is absolutely vital to the fulfillment of responsibilities.  I have no greater example of this than One Accord '89 tour.  The frustration I experienced over consistently blown-off responsibilities is indelibly imprinted on my brain.  I pray that I will never forget the torment that I went through as I struggled with fading priorities and diminishing personal effectiveness.  Lord Jesus, help me, as Hb 12:12-13 exhorts, to be strengthened and to make level paths for my feet so that, though lame, I will healed rather than disabled.

Well, what is my "level path"?  What is my plan?  How am I going to embark on a lifetime of personal organization and spiritual vitality?  I believe that the heart of the answer to this question is a commitment to daily necessities in a fairly routine fashion.

#1: Obviously I've got to maintain a quality daily quiet time.  Without this primarily, spiritual vitality just will not happen!

#2: Though this is only partially applicable at this point, I've got to dedicate quality time to family relationships.  It would seem to me that these first two items, undeniably the most important, are under the greatest risk of being invaded by other things.

#1/2: Now what of personal organization/administration?  In some instances the line between "QT" and "PO" is very thin.  In other cases it seems rather thick.  Whichever the case, I am discovering that it is very important to keep the line in place so that "QT" does not sonsume "PO" or vice versa.  It might be genuinely asked why I can place such a high priority on personal organization.  What about "seek ye first the kingdom of God"?  This is a fantastic scripture and, in fact, is a scripture which constitutes an element of personal organization.  In order to seek first the kingdom, we must analyze our lives, our priorities, and our motives in every respect.  Also, if we are seeking first the kingdom, there are a multitude of details which absolutely must be organized and dealt with.

#3: I would like to include several items in this category, leaving until later the task of further prioritization.  The word "ministry" encompasses so much.  I suppose that while I'm still in college this would include academics and sermon preparation.  Here, I must be careful to not be overly caught up with "getting-out" so that I forget about first "sitting" and preparing.

#4: This category would also include several even more diverse items.  My musical aspirations would figure in here, perhaps also in the ministry category.  Also in this category would be other relationships and physical conditioning.