THOU SHALT BE FAITHFUL AND PROMPT PART II

In Part I of Thou Shalt Be Faithful and Prompt, we uncovered the slack, care-free, and selfish lifestyle that has been developed in the life of those that are chronically absent and tardy. Here in this follow-up article, let’s deal with how to overcome this lifestyle.

1. Overcoming this character flaw requires admittance of the problem. Unless you can get to the place where you recognize your weakness(es), you will never conquer them. Get over this attitude of “that’s just the way I am.” Do you not want something BETTER in life than “the way you are”? Do not become complacent and therefore willing to live with your glaring faults. Admit the problem.

2. Make a one-time decision that this problem WILL BE CORRECTED. We so often judge those that kneel at an altar or a person who is always the first to “testify” at church. However, every positive life change happens because of a specific decision that was made. Publicize your decision to your spouse, your children, your co-workers, even your boss, etc… Become accountable for this decision.

3. Acquire the needed determination to be on time. Being on time means that 99% of the time, you will be EARLY. Plan to arrive to your event or meeting at least 15 minutes prior to its beginning. (Pot shot at church/Christian school staff HERE: As full-time servants, we should arrive to services 30 minutes prior to greet new people and to be available to the church members.) Having determination implies that one small stumbling block does not ruin your schedule for the day. Having determination implies that you know the difference between “not feeling well” and being “sick.” We fight through “not feeling well.” When we are “sick,” we go to the doctor. Determination gets us to places we never thought we could get - Bible reading, prayer, etc…

4. Determination cannot last without de-cluttering and organization. **DISCLAIMER**This is my current struggle that I am fighting as a New Year’s Resolution for 2010. I have found that when I keep an organized house, I just so happen to keep an organized bank account and budget, and I just so happen to keep an organized Bible reading plan, and I just so happen to (attempt to) keep an organized office, and I just so happen to organize my day in my sweet Franklin Covey organizer, and I just so happen to remember those days like birthdays, anniversaries, Valentines Day, etc…, and I just so happen to go to bed at a decent hour (before or at 11), and I just so happen to live life a little more stress-free. Try it. Try organizing your life. Prioritize EVERYTHING that you want to get done in a day. Knock off the most important one first. See how much easier it is to get ready in the mornings if you get up when your alarm FIRST goes off.

Let’s do this! Let’s get over this tardiness and absentness! It requires some grit and determination….but not without organization.