Routine - Is it Good or Bad?

Well what do you think? Routines in the lives of people are studied in Ethnomethodology apparently. It is something that has been on my mind alot recently, due to the dramatic change in lifestyle that we’ve had.

Before our move to Australia, my routine was mapped out for me whether I liked it or not. Leaving out fluctuations in attitude and desire, I had to get up and go to work, I had to attend various meetings linked with church, I had to use whatever time I had in between to do chores, visit people, and engage in various activities and hobbies. All these things I had to do and they all had different time limits and restrictions which forced me into a ‘routine’.

Now though it’s totally different. I still have to get up each day, but now I set the time. I still have to make time for various chores and hobbies, but now that time isn’t limited to just whatever time I have left in an evening, it could be done at almost any time of the day.

My duties have now changed, and it’s causing difficulties because now I’m trying to design a routine myself, whereas before it was sort of done for me. Should I be studying 6-8 hours a day, like a proper job? I feel as though I should (including prayer and reading various commentaries and books), but after about 3 hours at my desk with my head in a book or writing notes, I find myself very adjetated agitated and unable to concentrate. Maybe it is because in my previous place of employment I was not sitting around. Maybe it’s more of a problem with my body rather than my mind, I don’t know. What I know is, that when it comes to things like this, routine is good and I need to develop a routine I can stick to!

Maybe some of you reading this have had a similar problem in the past? If so, how did you get over it? Should I go for a walk first thing in the morning to expend some energy? Or maybe I should take an extended break after about 2-3 hours and then return? Whatever the case, it has to be fixed and soon at that.

I remember hearing about John Wesley saying to his young preachers, that if they ever wanted to achieve anything for God, they should spend at least five hours in solitude with God every day in prayer and meditation.

I’ve heard many disregarding this because the days in which we live are different than their day. But I think Wesley had a point, and there’s hardly a man in the world that is in such a spiritual position to give him the right to disagree.

Some months ago Angel, a brother in the Lord from Spain who ministers in Alcorcon with the Rev. John Hanna, gave me a book entitled, ‘Preaching with Freshness’ and in it the author makes a similar point to Wesley, only he doesn’t give a specific time.

For those of Gods people who are reading this, please pray for me in this respect. Also remember us tomorrow as I have to preach three times and drive 250-300 miles (although I think I’ll be giving some of that to my dear wife ).

 

 

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