I’m an obsessive person. When I do something, I REALLY DO IT. Take this blog for example. It’s just before Christmas, and I am writing a devotion for June. The advantage of my obsessiveness is that I get things done. People frequently ask me to do jobs because I produce results. The disadvantage is that I have trouble setting boundaries and establishing a balance. I often do things that are urgent, but not really important. That is a curse.

It hasn’t gotten better in retirement. What most frequently suffers is my spiritual life. No surprise there because that’s the way it was through almost 40 years of ministry. Being a person of prayer is essential for a pastor, but I neglected it because there was “important” work to be done. Sometimes church leaders actually try to diminish a pastor’s spiritual life. I once had a council member who discovered I came in to the office early so I could spend a half-hour in contemplative prayer. For weeks he called early every morning for one reason or another, but actually to make sure I was busy working and not goofing off meditating.

Now I’m retired with no one checking up on me, but I am stuck with bad habits. I haven’t made spending time with the Lord number one priority. This has to change, but will it? You’ll know next week, because I’m not going to write the June 27 devotion until shortly before it’s posted. It will be interesting to see if this old dog can learn some new tricks.

Read Psalm 86:1-6 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne