Can you imagine how effective you could become if you allowed God to direct your time? According to James, if you need wisdom about something, all you need to do is ask God, and He will give it to you (see Jas. 1:5). What if, before diving blindly into your to-do list, you were to say, “God, what’s the best use of my day? What’s the best use of this hour?” The goal of time management is to ensure that you are making the highest use of every day. When you ask God to direct you on what to do and when, that goal becomes much more achievable. God can make you more efficient, sure, but more importantly, He can make you efficient at being effective.

Now, let me be clear, this is not an invitation to chuck detailed planning or other time management principles. This prayer is an attitude that should cover and infuse all of your time management efforts–not an excuse to sit idly because you “didn’t hear from God” on how to spend your afternoon. As you approach the work you’re called to every day, choose to be open to God’s guiding hand. Try writing this prayer out on a notecard or Post-It and keeping it on your desk so that you see it several times throughout the day. Let it be a reminder to surrender the clock to God. Take the opportunity He has given you to partner with Him in crafting your time for His glory.

– Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson

The above excerpt is from p. 88 of The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry.

Drawing from Nelson Searcy’s decades of ministry experience, The Renegade Pastor is a relevant, step-by-step resource for church leaders who are ready to step up in surrender to the pursuit of God’s best for his or her life and work.

P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.