Новые времена Go back to the homepage The benefits of leisurely time with God Dr. Richard Blackaby was speaking to a group of business and professional leaders in Iowa about the time his father Henry was invited to address Fortune 500 CEOs. He was surprised to see such high-ranking corporate executives gathered together, especially given the magnitude of their responsibilities and influence. Dr. Blackaby Sr., well known for his "Knowing God" books and Bible studies, challenged these men. He advised each of them to consciously plan and schedule what he called "unhurried time with God"-both in regard to Bible study and prayer. You can imagine how many of them reacted. One CEO, after hearing the proposal, spoke up and said, "Henry, that's unlikely. You have no idea how busy we are." Dr. Blackaby replied, "Well, you have no idea who you're going to meet. If you did, you would find the time." Three months later, the same CEO again told Dr. Blackaby about the problem. He said that after making the decision to spend leisurely time with God daily, he found that his days were much more fruitful than they had ever been before! This leader was hardly the first person to recognize the positive, even tangible, benefits of consistently devoting time to God, scripture study, and prayer. The famous theologian Martin Luther, a man who himself faced many challenges, said: «The less I pray, the harder it gets; the more I pray, the better it gets ». On another occasion Luther made this honest but paradoxical observation, "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer every morning, the devil will prevail during the day. I have so much to do that I cannot manage without spending three hours a day in prayer!"! Psalm 137:4 says: «All the kings of the earth shall glorify You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth». Psalm 137:4 says, "All the kings of the earth shall glorify You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth." God is worthy of sincere, unhurried time, regardless of our status at work. In addition, we can derive practical benefits from it. Here are just a few of them. We can gain the right perspective. Faced with many pressures, deadlines and demands, as well as conflicting messages from our culture, it is easy to lose sight of what is right and appropriate. A leisurely time with God, especially at the beginning of the day, reminds us of what is important and who we ultimately seek to serve through our work. «My heart says of you, "Seek my face"; and I will seek your face, O Lord» (Psalm 26:8). We can gain the wisdom we need. Many of the problems we encounter throughout the day, especially those we did not anticipate, require not only knowledge but also wisdom to solve correctly. We can get what we need from God. «For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of His mouth are knowledge and understanding» (Proverbs 2:6). We can appropriate God's power. It's easy to spend the day relying on our own strength, confident that we can handle any situation. Often, however, we are simply unable to do so. But through time spent with God, we can receive His strength and guidance. «I can do all things in Jesus Christ who strengthens me» (Philippians 4:13). Copyright 2023. Unconventional Business Network. Adapted with permission from UBN Integrity Moments, a commentary on faith at work. Visit www.unconventionalbusiness.org. UBN is faith in action serving the international small business community. Questions for reflection/discussion How would you react if someone came up to you and asked if you regularly spent "unhurried time with God"? What does this mean to you and how easy or difficult do you think it is to accomplish this on a regular basis? What do you think of Martin Luther's two statements that the more and harder he prays, the better each day will be for him? Does it seem reckless to say that when we face greater demands, the need for time with God becomes even greater? Explain your answer. As you reflect on the decision to spend unhurried time with God, what challenges or difficulties have you encountered in trying to do so? How do you think leisurely time with God can give us a better understanding of the opportunities and obstacles we face during a typical workday? NOTES. If you have a Bible and want to read more, consider the following passages: Proverbs 1:7, 3:13-15, 12:8, 16:21; Colossians 3:17,23; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Difficult task Good intentions are of little value if we don't follow through and strive to put them into practice. Sometimes the best way to ensure we fulfill what we set out to do – like spending unhurried time with God – is to have an accountability partner. This is someone you trust and care about, who will remind you and encourage you to fulfill your good intentions. Do you have such a person right now that you can turn to and rely on to be accountable? If yes, share your desire with that person. If not, pray hopefully and ask God to send someone to help you as a spiritual mentor.
