I don’ t think there has been a time in my life when I have been so far behind in my work as I am right now. My desk is piled high with correspondence and files that require immediate attention. The circuits of my mind are nearly burned out in sorting through an endless stream of unfinished business and new business. Details to attend to, things to do, problems to solve, difficulties to sort out, decisions to make, people to call, projects to follow up on, preparations to make ‑ all pressuring for urgent attention. It is this build-up of unresolved pressure that siphons off the time and energy it takes to venture forward into new areas and to take hold of new opportunities.
Under pressure, most of us – at least I hope I’m not the only one – fix our sights on the overwhelming demands of our immediate situation. We dig in, pushing forward to do the things that ‘ought’ to be done. Under normal circumstances such an intensive effort is only short term and results in the backlog of work being cleared up. However, there are also situations in which a longer term focus on ‘catching up’ leads to being chronically fixated on the present, thus stultifying not only the vitality of our ministry vision but also the vitality of our life with Christ. These two are inextricably woven together.
There are times when even the most pressing work must be put aside in order for us to be renewed in our spiritual life and ministry vision. What gives our work meaning and value is ultimately not the amount of activity accomplished or the degree of energy expended. What gives our work meaning is the fact that we are following Christ and that we are faithfully reaching forward to take hold of the vision which He has entrusted to us. Every time I find myself being unduly overwhelmed and preoccupied with the pressure of all of the tasks and details surrounding my work, I begin to lose clear sight of the real purpose for my being here. As that happens, one becomes easily caught in a quagmire of doing things without reference to their relationship to the mission.
You and I are called by God to be his ambassadors, collaborators with Christ in bringing good news to prisoners. The most important thing we do is to relate to people in such a way that they catch the vision of who God has called them to be in this world. While programms and projects may play a useful role in this, much of what people learn comes through personal relationships and the investment of ourselves in their lives. We can invest ourselves as Christ would have us only when we are not preoccupied with activity upon activity and task upon task and only when our lives are intimately focused on following Christ.
I am finding that one of the most difficult balances for me is the balance between being and doing. This is particularly true when the pressure of work elicits my natural tendency to do and to keep doing until things get done. Often in the doing of many things it is easy to allow my relationship with Christ to drift. Inevitably this has consequences in my focus on the big picture of my calling and my relationship with the people God puts in my path.
“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13,14
Ronald W. Nikkel is the president and CEO of Prison Fellowship International (PFI). For more information, visit the PFI web site.