What do your days look like? Crazy busy? Added to all your work and family responsibilities that can feel overwhelming, there’s unexpected interruptions, setbacks, checking out your phone, text messages, emails, social media, and the news. You may feel as though you spend all your time racing just to keep up. Can I tell you that if you’re going to see your dreams and desires come to pass, you can’t just let everything occupy your time and get you off course? Busyness does not equal productivity; in fact, it often involves a lot of wasted time on things that don’t matter. You don’t want to wear busyness as an important attribute in your life. You want to wear fruitfulness, productiveness. You want your life to be ordered, getting the right things done at the right time.
In Exodus 18, Moses was overwhelmed with busyness. Remember that he was God’s man to lead two million Israelites toward the Promised Land. He was responsible to hear from God for them and to know where they were to go. On top of that, from morning to evening the people came to him to solve their problems and be the judge of their disputes. In the midst of this craziness, Moses prayed this important prayer: “Teach us to number our days, that we can gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). I can hear the cry of his heart, “God, teach me and show me how to order and prioritize my day.”
Moses was doing his very best to lead his people, and he didn’t want to waste his time doing things that were not important, spending time with the wrong people. The answer to Moses’ prayer came when Moses’ father-in-law, Jethro, observed that Moses was wearing himself out, trying to solve everyone else’s problems. Jethro said, “You need to set up a system of godly men to help you. Don’t wear yourself out doing things that others can do. Set your priorities right.” He had to clear the clutter out and rearrange his life priorities.
Perhaps you feel a little bit like Moses. Everybody’s asking you for things, and you need to fix all the problems, bring in the finances, and care for them. You feel overwhelmed. You need to put things on pause and pray Moses’ prayer: “God, teach me to order my day. Teach me to put a priority on the right things, to put what really matters first. Help me to get rid of the clutter.” He has ideas to make your life easier. It’s about ordering your life so you can see your God-calling come to full fruition, so you can be all that God has called you to be.