by Dean Forbes
Assistant Chaplain

CAN YOU SPARE JUST FIVE?

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Let’s suppose you have decided to take five minutes a day for the reading of God’s Word and Prayer. You’ve made the decision to try it. What can you expect? For one thing, you’ll discover that Murphy’s law, "Anything that can happen, will happen, and at the worst possible moment," has your name on it. You will oversleep. You will discover that your socks don’t match. You will have extra work that keeps you up late, so late that as soon as you close your eyes, you are instantly asleep. You will set the alarm early, and an alarm that has never failed before will not go off! How do I know? I’ve tried it at least a hundred times, but I’ve started at least 101 times. In other words, I haven’t quit. The following are five simple guidelines that can make a difference in your schedule.

Guideline #1: Make a commitment to take five minutes a day for spiritual development. I’m sure that I don’t have to sell you on the importance of the idea. The vast majority of people believe that being in the presence of God is important, but not important enough to make the commitment to include time in His presence in their daily schedule. Remember, the longest journey in the world begins with the first step.

Guideline #2: Be definite, but flexible in your plan to schedule five minutes a day. When is the best time for this? Anytime, right? Dead wrong! Anytime is some other time, and some other time never gets scheduled; so look at your schedule and determine when you can take five minutes a day and make it a habit. For some, the first thing in the morning is the best time, but for you night people, taking five minutes at the end of the day is a lot more productive.

Guideline #3: Have a plan. Three ingredients should fit into your plan: First, Scripture, or God’s Word, the Bible, for here we find the strength of the ages, and through these pages He speaks to us. Second, you need some moments of reflection or mediation as you ask yourself, "How does this apply to my life? How do I apply this to what I’m facing right now?" Third, you need a few moments to talk to God in prayer, and it is here that you connect with Him by sharing your heart.

Guideline #4: Stay focused. It is so easy to let your mind wander. You read a chapter, close the Bible, and can’t remember a word or thought you read. Know why? All of the time your mind was going over your schedule for the day. You were thinking about other things. How do you stay focused? Possibly by reading out loud. Possibly by journaling, or writing down your thoughts, by making the conscious decision to put your mind where your body is and worship God.

Guideline #5: Discipline yourself, and if necessary, put something else out of your overburdened schedule. When it is all said and done (and usually more is said than done), we have time for what we really want to do. Nobody can honestly say (myself included), "I don’t have at least five minutes a day to nurture my soul and refresh my mind." But you just don’t "find time"; you must "take it."

And what are the rewards? You’ll discover an amazing sense of clarity in your thinking. You’ll begin to see your life in a different perspective, and when you really slow down enough to realize you are in the presence of the Almighty, you will discover that your problems aren’t so big after all. Take five minutes a day, friend. They can well be the best five of your day.

Reference: Psalm 1 and Guidelines for Living