How I Forget God in a Nutshell

We are all busy. In fact, we many of us have lost what is truly important because we have become so busy. Our own busyness has caused us to waste time.

Each day I have a lot to do. I have found that I get more done by making a to do list than if I don't. I can easily write these things down and check them off one by one. That's fine until something happens that I must do which is not on my list. My to do list becomes worthless and I am frustrated with how little I got done during the day.

So, I look at my list and see what I can get knocked out early in the morning before anyone's crisis can ruin my to do list. No one notices if I have had my time alone with God so I promise that I will do it the moment I knock out a couple of things which are major priorities. That means the God is not at the top but somewhere around three or four by this time.

Before I can get those two or three things done, a crisis strikes. I go to work on it. My time with God gets pushed to just before I fall asleep. It becomes something I just need to check off my list. This time is no longer vital to the way I live.

After a few days of crises, I quit making a to do list. I just work on the crisis left over from yesterday. After all, that is what they pay me for. To my knowledge, no pastor has ever been fired for a lack of a time alone with God. Most church members wouldn't think he was busy if they caught him having such a time. They are mostly concerned with ministering to the sick, the grieving and those who gripe a lot.

Those who really appreciate the spiritual growth of their pastor are generally silent as they see his life and messages get more and more shallow. They don't to criticize and they give extra grace to their pastor. They are like angels to him. However, they aren't helping either. He needs someone to ask about his own spiritual growth. He needs to be reminded that he is forgetting his God.

So, that's how I do it. I get busy and forget God because I don't see the penalty for ignoring Him while I see great penalties for ignoring those who bring in their crises.

Am I alone in this or does everyone have to diligently protect their time alone with God?

Deuteronomy 8:11 (NIV)
¹¹ Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.