The Tyranny of the Urgent

“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.” John 17:4

Most cancer patients battle fatigue on a regular, if not daily, basis. When I have a break in my treatment every three weeks or so, I’m amazed at how energetic I feel. It reminds me of the “nesting” activity that would strike at the end of each of my pregnancies. I am bursting with new ideas for improving the house, for new recipes, or for new curriculum for a high school program I’m involved with. I pull out books that I’ve been yearning to read, and I begin a major organizational project—or more accurately, several projects at once—such as cleaning out the pantry or organizing my beloved books. And then all my efforts come crashing to a halt a few days later when the fatigue sets in again, that never-ending cycle of too much and too little energy. Although it’s easy to blame my cancer for my lack of progress, the truth is, I have just as much time every day as everyone else. It’s my pattern of living that is the real problem.

Charles E. Hummel’s booklet “The Tyranny of the Urgent” is worth rereading every few months. By using the life of Jesus as a model, Hummel shows how we can have peace in our souls and joy in our tasks without the constant burden of guilt over what we have left undone. For one thing, Jesus was always about his Father’s task (“I always do what pleases him.” John 8:29). That is why, Hummel writes, Jesus was able to completely fulfill his ministry on earth in only three years. When I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma more than five years ago, I hoped for at least three years more to “minister” to my family like Jesus had. Instead, God has graciously nearly doubled that time for me, yet I have wasted more hours than I can bear to admit. I have missed endless opportunities to use my time to glorify God. But our gracious Lord always gives me another chance, another day to be used for Him.

The other lesson Hummel says we can learn from the life of Jesus is the balance between time with God and time with others. Compared to most Christians today, Jesus spent an amazing amount of time with his Father. He actually abided with God on a constant basis, seeking His will and His purpose every moment of the day. I tend to compartmentalize my prayer life and my practical life, and of course the practical demands squeeze out my time with the Lord. Learning to abide with Him in the midst of my activities has become a major and exciting practice: when I do it right, I can feel peace and a nearly leisurely sense in my spirit in the midst of busy moments. Abiding in Him and being about His business makes it clear to me what the priorities should be in my life. I’m able to prioritize the “important” and not become a slave to the “urgent”. 

Living with fatigue is not really the problem—God knows my limitations and what He apportions for me will be better than anything I could dream up for myself. As I heard on a Christian radio station recently: “God’s plans are better than our dreams.” And if we are about His work, our lives will be “finished” lives, no matter how long or short they might be.

Lord, I pray for Your will to be done in my life and in the lives of those who seek you. As we abide in You, show us how to use the time that You have given us. Let our lives be “finished” lives that bring You glory and complete the work that You have given us to do. Guide our decisions as we undertake new tasks and apportion our time. And thank You for every one of our days, precious gifts from You. Amen.

Count It All Joy

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2—4

I wrote the following paragraph on my CaringBridge site about a year after my cancer diagnosis. As I prepared for an autologous stem cell transplant, so many complications (pneumonia, sinus infection) kept delaying the procedure.  Here is how God’s grace carried me through…

“Speaking of His grace...the most exciting development has been how God has worked on my heart and attitude this past month, always preparing me in advance for what lies ahead. After the second round of intensive chemo, I was feeling burdened by a sense of dread regarding the transplant. Time spent in the hospital is so hard for me, and I began to wonder how I could possibly survive 3 straight weeks hooked to IVs when God planted the Bible verses James 1:2-4 in front of me multiple times (as He often does to make sure I get it right!). This verse tells us to "consider it pure joy" when we face trials of many kinds, for the testing of our faith leads to perseverance that is necessary for spiritual maturity. So I began thinking about the transplant as though it would be a thing of "joy" and when a challenge would come my way, I'd call it a "joy" instead of a setback. These verses revolutionized my attitude and lifted such a burden off me, preparing me for the time in the hospital with pneumonia. And when I had a lung biopsy and sinus surgery, it was a gift to remember that these challenges had a greater purpose and that God would carry me through them.”

Reading over those words, I can scarcely believe it was real! I mean, really, who considers a transplant or surgery a “joy”?! But the “joy of the Lord” is not the same as the happiness we feel when our football team wins the Superbowl. It is more grounded and secure and inspires confidence and trust. The “joy of the Lord” frees our spirit from worry and enables us to rest in the palm of His hand.

Dear Lord, I rejoice that You are omnipotent and omniscient. You know better than I, in all matters great and small. Help me to trust in Your plan for my life, and to thank You for the trials that I face as I wait for Your deliverance. Enable me to live each day victoriously and joyfully, no matter the obstacles that I face. Most of all, remind me daily that when I am weak, You are strong.

Be Joyful and Do Good!

“I perceived that there was nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live.” Ecclesiastes 3:12

King Solomon was given the gift of wisdom. In his reflections on life, he came to the conclusion that the best way to enjoy this time on earth was to BE JOYFUL and to DO GOOD. If we want to live lives of peace and contentment, then we will choose joy. Finding joy is easier some days than others. When I hear about disappointing lab results, or my doctor tells me that the treatment is not working, I can easily slip into fear and depression. The wind is pulled from my sails, and I lose all energy and enthusiasm for life. These are the most important times for me to choose joy. I force myself to sit down and write out all my blessings, to focus on an “attitude of gratitude”, to thank God for how far He has brought me and to trust Him for where He will take me. I thank Him for the little things, like the privilege of helping my middle schooler with homework, or the gift of being able to walk to the mailbox. I remind myself that I am alive in Christ, and that I’m just as alive today as every other day. I then rouse myself to do good. I prepare a nice dinner for my family or pray for them as I straighten up the house. Sometimes I write a letter of encouragement to a friend, or make a call to someone who is lonely. The best way to be joyful is to focus on the gifts of this life and to do something nice for someone else. Keep the focus on the moment, not on the future. The future is uncertain for everyone. Trust God to take care of yours.

Lord, your servant Solomon was so wise! Help me to have the same understanding. Guide all my thoughts and enable me to have a joyful heart condition. Remind me every day that “the joy of the Lord is my strength”! My joy doesn’t come from anything external, but from the hope that I have in You. Protect my heart and my mind from any thoughts that seek to rob me of this joy, and grant me daily opportunities to “do good”.