Take time to Think and Process

Ministers are busy…like all the time. In fact, I don’t know if there is ever a time when ministers aren’t busy. Whether it is meetings, meetings to have meetings, planning, lesson writing or something else, there is always something a minister can be doing. It may not seem fair or right, it is just the reality of life.

Even though busy-ness is part of life as a minister, it is still very important for you to take time to think and process. In fact, it is when you take that dedicated time to think and process that some of the most impactful things in your ministry happens.

What happens when you think and process?

1. You dream. My friend Cory Sullivan and I like to quote the classic “Pinky and the Brain” cartoon where Pinky asks the Brain what he wants to do today. His response is always the same. “The same thing we do everyday, try to take over the world”. When you have an opportunity to dream, you have an opportunity to dream big and plot out how you can do bigger things in your ministry.
2. You evaluate. When you stop and think, you give yourself an opportunity to evaluate what you have been doing and how it is going. This doesn’t have to be at the end of the calendar or school year. Hopefully you can be doing this regularly throughout the year, but if you are not, schedule time to make sure you are doing an evaluation of what you are doing. Make it apart of your schedule to evaluate and do the evaluating away from the office. Go somewhere where you can process quietly and effectively…this means turning off your phone and other tech gadgets you have on you at all time. This time alone can be great for you to evaluate and process how things can go better in your ministry…even when things seem to be going really well.
3. You allow God to speak to you. When you get away from the office and process in a quiet place you allow God to speak to you. Hopefully you are doing this anyways during prayer time and daily devotional time. However, this is ministry specific time and when you get out and allow God to speak to you here, you are specifically asking God to guide you in your ministry.

Conclusion:

When you set aside time to think and process great stuff can happen. It allows you to dream, evaluate and gives you another opportunity to hear from God and let Him guide you. Having that time to think and process can be one of the most important and valuable times you have. The question is, will you make time for it. Will you allow yourself to take time to think and process? Or will you get sucked into other “good” ministry things to do? My hope and encouragement is that you will make the necessary time to think and process so that you and your ministry can get to be where God desires it to be.

What do you think? When do you make time to think and process? How has it helped you? Share below or on social media using #ymsidekick when you share.