Managing Ourselves

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Psalm 138:8

From an early age, we get the message that in order to succeed we must be good managers. Whatever the task, it should be done to perfection. Whatever the event, it should go without a glitch. Whether we are making sure our children are well-fed and arriving at school every day in clean clothes, or we are leading a company through a much-needed organization, it is crucial that we juggle all the responsibilities and tend to every detail, while monitoring how everyone is doing.

Of course, life rarely works that way. And it doesn’t take long to become overwhelmed with the impossible task of managing life as it is rather than how we expected it to be. Before long, real life is overflowing and unmanageable.

We often cope by finding containers for the overflow, developing habits that might temporarily relieve our sense of being overwhelmed. Maybe we work longer hours or develop addictions. Or we redirect our attention to distractions and entertainment, or we begin unloading emotionally on the people around us.

Maybe it’s time to ask yourself just how you’re managing. You’re probably doing well much of the time. But you will live out holy purpose only with the help of holy love.