The Spiritual Discipline of Creating Margin

If you were unable to get ahold of me last week, I am sorry I was out of the office for most of the week. 

I wasn’t on vacation, and no before you even ask, I wasn’t being lazy. 

 
I was doing something very strategic.  Something very important … I was creating margin in my life.  I'm guessing your life is pretty busy.  I know mine is.

 As far back as I can remember my life has been pretty full.  There are some days I feel like I am constantly running from one thing to the next.  And I am desperate for a few extra minutes in each day in order to do everything I want to get done.

Last week I was out of the office – gathering with a group of other men who want to create margin in their lives.  It was a time of great refreshment and encouragement.  And as I have gotten back in the office this week – I am reminded that I need more margin in my life.

When you look at Jesus and His ministry – He was extremely busy.  He was always doing His Father’s work, and people always wanted Jesus to be with them, help them or heal them.  He was constantly in demand.

Luke 5:15-16:

“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Jesus was doing amazing things!  He was doing things that were worth doing – and yet it says OFTEN He withdrew.  We see Jesus do this over and over again in the Scriptures (Matthew 4:1-2, Matthew 14:10-13, Matthew 14:23, Matthew 17:1-3,  Luke 6:12-13).

I believe Jesus did this often because it was essential to accomplishing His mission.  He understood that His margins would be filled with times to refocus, and to clarify what God had placed before him.

I have to confess I don’t have enough margin in my life.  I don’t make enough time to clear my head, to focus, to clarify, and to do much of that through prayer.

There is one thing that I am sure of when it comes to the spiritual discipline of creating margin:

Margin is not something that just happens. 
                     You have to fight for it.

I know I’m ready to fight for some more margin – to get away and pray.  To share more about what’s going on inside of my heart, than about what’s happening outside all around me.

I think this spiritual discipline is something Jesus modeled for us – so we would know that even if you are God himself – moments of solitude and reflection are essential.

I hope you will join the fight – and create some margin in your life.