Some people think the order of what they need to do in their day doesn’t matter, as long as they get them done. But I disagree. There is power in the order in which we do things. It is because our life is not random fragments of unrelated decisions. Each decision is not only related, but they affect one another.
For example, doing administrative work and creative work seem unrelated.
But one affects the other. I always do creative work in the morning because it requires the most energy from my brain, and that’s when my mind is freshest.
If I do administrative work and then try to do creative work, I feel like my brain is half-drained to perform at its best. That is why I rarely mix up this order because the difference in the outcome of doing these in the right order is tremendous. An outline for sermon or blog post can birth in an hour in the morning, but it might take hours at the end of the day.
The same thing applies to the Christian life. The first thing we ask new Christians to get into is Quiet Time. (Also known as “Morning Devotion”) It is not just because reading the Bible and praying is important. Because it involves working the “priority” muscle. And in the world of confusing priorities, it is an essential survival skill and tool for new Christians.
Jesus didn’t say, “as long as you seek God’s kingdom, all things will be added on to you, ..” He said, “Seek God’s Kingdom first, then…”
Priority is not about amount but order. And I believe this order came from God, as God is God of order, not disorder. (1 Cor 13:43) As it is the muscle we use for everything we do, it needs to be repeated and reinforced in our daily decisions.
Priority doesn’t help God.
To be clear, priority helps us, not God. It is why even productivity experts tell us not to start our day with social media. Starting our day with distraction or with focus, as little as the difference might seem, has a tremendous impact on how we spend our day. Because what gets done first, does affect what gets done next.