Yesterday morning I was in room 812 at Medical City praying with my friend, Tony (a VictoryBiz leader), who was scheduled to have surgery at noon.
Back surgery is a scary thing - not a lot of room for human error.
When Tony’s neurosurgeon, Dr Rivera, entered room 812 his demeanor brightened up the atmosphere. Yes the surgery was serious, but when the doctor is upbeat, hopeful and positive, it kinda makes you feel like everything will be ok.
I thought about Tony, Dr Rivera and room 812 this morning as I listened to Mark Conner on my ipod say something like this…
“Successful people manage their energy, not just their time.”
What if Dr Rivera knew how to manage his time, but not his energy? What if he was on time for his scheduled pre-surgery check up, but walked in room 812 depressed, angry or confused? I think I'd start looking for another doc.
I am glad Tony's doc was on time, but I am really glad he was not depressed, angry or confused? Being prompt is ok, but if I have to make a choice, I’d rather have a doctor who is positive, hopeful and confident.
I am glad Dr Rivera managed his time AND his energy. (I am also glad the surgery went well and Tony will be back in the Manila Autogas office, and on the golf course soon.)
As spiritual leaders we must learn to not only manage our time, but more importantly our energy and emotions. It is not enough to preach good sermons, we must live good lives and treat people with kindness, grace and compassion. Too often the never-ending pressure of the 24/7 ministry lifestyle drains pastors and leaders of all emotional energy, leaving us running on fumes by the time we get home.
Not sure exactly how to do it, but I thank Mark C for the exhortation to manage my energy better. Anyone out there got any energy/emotion management tips?
Thank you for your visit and prayers, Steve. Truly encouraging and a blessing. May God abundantly bless you as you have been such a blessing to so many (nations and future generations!).
Posted by: Tony Moran | April 25, 2007 at 11:25 AM
To Pastor Steve:
In your blogs "Bible Verses I Don't Like" and "More Difficult Bible Verses" from The Accidental Missionary Blog, you speak about the struggle to increase one's capacity to forgive and to be filled with joy at all times. I see a connection between these blogs and the question of energy and emotion management. So, I've decided to respond to your invitation for energy/emotion tips.
Besides getting a good night's sleep and eating a healthy breakfast, I believe the secret to managing one's energy/emotions relates to maturity in understanding forgiveness in Christ as it applies to the attitudes of joy and humility.
I have some insight as to how to develop these attitudes. I believe the path to better energy/emotion management can be summed up in one word: thankfulness.
I had a revelation about thankfulness a few days ago. It was Sunday. My dad took my wife and I out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory. It was amazing.
My dad has always been generous to me, but something about the cheesecake got me all choked up. I began to remember all the things he's done to discipline me, and yet how he's always supported me through the times when I tried and failed. My dad always forgave, and he never gave up on me.
Staring at the cheesecake that we had ordered for dessert, I began to feel this wave of unworthiness. What could I do to pay back my dad for everything he's done for me. As I thought about these things, that cheesecake began to represent yet another demonstration of my dad's love for me. At that moment, all I wanted to do was show him my appreciation. I wanted to repay him for his kindnesses. I could have paid for the cheesecake, but I could never match my dad's generosity. Besides, I know he didn't want money from me (even though he's spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on me since my birth). My dad just wanted to celebrate with his son in this new season of growth in my life (because my wife and I are currently expecting our first child). The only thing I could do was offer my deepest respect for his faithful presence in my life, and a humble, heartfelt "thank you" to the man who helped me to become a man, myself.
As I read through Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians that night, I realized that Paul was humbled by the revelation of God's love for him in Christ similar to the way that I was humbled by the revelation of my dad's love for me. God had saved Paul from death and Hell, and raised him as a son. Paul birthed churches, and God celebrated with him.
In every situation Paul was enabled to be thankful because he remembered how undeserving he was to be given so much forgiveness and support from the Heavenly Father. He knew that God was responsible for transforming him from a shameful sinner into an honorable apostle. I'm sure that even the smallest relief from his trails represented the fullest expression of God's love for him. Just a little grace from God supplied Paul with an abundance of emotional energy to support the churches.
Paul could make a mountain of thanksgiving out of a prisoner's pit...And I'm sure that Paul could even see the love of God in a cheesecake. That's some awesome energy/emotion management in action if you ask me. Mmmm...thankfulness.
Grace and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,
James
Posted by: James Cane | April 25, 2007 at 01:33 PM
excellent post. also thanks to the same energy and emotions peter rivera did an awesome job on my son joseph's brain surgery, here's joseph now after the surgery:
http://josephbonifacio.multiply.com/photos/photo/30/28
Posted by: joey bonifacio | April 29, 2007 at 08:18 PM