Five Finger Recovery: How do I decide what's most important?

June 11, 2014: Five Finger Recovery: How do I decide what's most important? Please "Share" this new Precious Prodigal Post: http://bit.ly/1pH9xrT

Eccl 4:6 “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind…” (NIV)

In five-finger recovery, the pinky finger stands for the “everything else” in our lives…after God, after our recovery, after taking care of ourselves, and after our loved ones. That “everything else” includes the house, the car, the boat, the job and even the church.

There’s nothing wrong with having a beautiful home, a boat, a nice car or any of the other things we spend our money on. And once we have them, it’s responsible to take care of them, isn’t it? There isn’t a problem with that. Nor is there a problem with enjoying our leisure activities like sports. If there were, every person in football-obsessed Alabama would be in a world of hurt!

And I’m certainly not suggesting we neglect our jobs. The Scriptures tell us that we are to be industrious, working as unto the Lord. (Col 3:23) If we don’t work hard and consistently, it won’t be long before we don’t have a job at all.

None of those things are a problem until we give them a higher priority than they deserve. Take the job, for example. If I’m working 70 or 80 hours a week, how much time will I have for the things that should be higher priorities? What happens to my quiet time with the Lord? When do I have time to work on my recovery? How in the world is that taking care of myself? And how does that impact the people I love?

The key here is balance. A friend told she had worked 14 days straight without a break and was feeling overwhelmed. Gee, what a surprise! She said the problem is she hasn’t had time to be of service to others…that she needs more time. Good guess, but a wrong one. Working 14 days in a row without a break…where’s the balance in that? She doesn’t need more time. She needs to get the things in her life in the right place in her priorities.

Is service important? You bet. But if we’re not careful, we’ll find ourselves so busy doing “good things” that the important things fall by the wayside. I’ve got to be true to the calling of God in my life to minister to others through my writing. Sometimes that means saying “no” to things that conflict. If I don’t, the result can be settling for what others ask me to do rather than what God has called me to do.

It wasn’t by accident that I added church to the list of “other things.” Now don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying we shouldn’t be faithful in our church attendance. My church is where I go to be fed spiritually, to be a blessing and to receive a blessing, and to fellowship with others…all important to taking care of myself and letting God minister to me. But it’s only a part of the whole…it’s not everything.

One of the wisest things I ever heard my pastor say was, “I’m not going to sacrifice my family on the altar of this church.” And if you and I are wise, neither will we. The key is balance, and that balance will mean laying aside the perfectionism, the spotless house, the 12-hour work day, and the hectic lifestyle that keeps us from finding healing and peace.

Challenge for Today:  Can you, just for today, put the “other things” where they belong on your priority list?