Margin matters.
It’s an important discipline to maintain, because it helps us define what we live for and how we do it. Resisting the temptation to try and have it all is no small thing.
There is a pervasive need, for all of us on some level, to be accepted by those around us. The problem is that kind of acceptance will never satisfy the need. Opting-in to a culturally approved lifestyle will never lead to lasting fulfillment. Chasing after things (or people) and spending our energy on those pursuits lead to over committed lives with little to no margin. It’s a kind of busy that, for many, stands as a weird badge of honor.
The enemy uses busyness as a tool of distraction for believers. When we are busy we don’t see or hear well. And did you know, he is not opposed to using even good things to keep us busy—anything is up for grabs if it means we are too distracted to hear the voice of God and too tired to listen.
Love God; love others—that pretty much sums up the mission of a believer. Oh, and also, “…faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” (James 2:17). So, think about that for a minute. What does that look like? How does that play out in your life?
It’s important to evaluate that mission statement regularly, because when the activities of life squeeze out the capacity to live on mission, that’s a pretty good indication that we have chosen to opt-in to a cultural lifestyle—which is really just a soft way of saying, living for ourselves.
There is so much more than the flimsy promises of acceptance and fulfillment that come from the world. Wholeness is found in Christ.
Loving God
Margin matters, because it creates the space to see and hear what God is saying. Because let’s be honest, in order to live a Spirit-led life, you have to be tuned into what the Spirit is saying. When life is too full of busy activities, it becomes easy to fall into patterns of selfishness—even when the activities are good.
Here’s the thing, anything that comes before our intimate pursuit of God is idolatry. This is not always an obvious thing to see, but we need to understand that busyness can become an idol. It feeds the need for acceptance and for purpose, at least for a little while, but have you ever noticed how busyness is insatiable? It can become an addiction.
There are many good things in this world, with which to participate, but honing the ability to discern what is best takes practice. Part of that discipline is learning how to say no, because a well-placed no opens the way for more of God. The more of God leads to real life and that is the only worthy pursuit.
Can I be frank? The intimate pursuit of God needs to come first—in all things and at all times. Surrendering everything before the throne of grace is the only way to live in alignment with the Father. And it’s never once and done; it is a daily discipline.
So, take a minute and lean in with the Father. Ask him to help evaluate your relationship. Are you pursuing God or are you pursuing his benefits? Do you feel loved by him, or have you filled your time with trying to earn his love and prove your worth?
You are beloved by God—period. Surrender to his perfect love and let him lead to wholeness.
Re-Alignment
Margin matters, but true peace will start with re-alignment. You see, healthy margin isn’t established by taking control of the calendar alone. We are all the same and we will always go back to following after what the heart wants. This is why we must always keep our eyes fixed on the Lord.
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Proverbs 4:23
This is a call for discipline. There are healthy habits that help us to live a better way. I know, there are some who recoil from the very idea, calling attention to Paul’s teaching on freedom in Christ. Here’s the thing, freedom and discipline work in partnership.
“For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I could live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:19-20
Freedom means we are no longer bound by the law of Moses, but it doesn’t mean we can indulge in a lifestyle with no discipline. We live in these earthly bodies by trusting Jesus. This is the picture of surrender and faith. There is no room for willfulness.
This is where we start. We respond to the invitation of God to come and know him. Laying it all out before the throne of grace, we practice trust, allowing his perfect love to transform our vision and desire. This is how we guard our hearts; this is how we train our eyes to see and ears to hear.
Margin matters and needs to be maintained
Margin matters because it maintains the space needed for what is most important. I think, sometimes knowing what’s most important is part of the issue. Really, on some level, we all understand what’s most important, but there is that real battle with the flesh. Surrendering willfulness is no easy task, but this is definitely the way to the best of God.
Trying to leverage God to satisfy personal desire leads to frustration and defeat. Listen, I hope you understand that God’s greatest desire for you is wholeness—and he knows the best way to achieve that. God is faithful and good. Trust him—he will not disappoint.
Love God; love others—this is the mission of God. All believers are called to this mandate. We are called to go into all the world bringing this message of love and grace (Matthew 28:18-20). It’s not a side gig; it’s full deal. So, at some point we all have to quit trying to straddle the line between human desire and holy desire. We cannot pursue two things at once.
The silver lining in the cloud is that God doesn’t leave us on our own to figure it all out. He does, however expect that we participate in the process, but he is the fullness of provision for every step of the way. God provides his presence, which give us access to everything we need. God is the greatest resource ever!
So, here are some helpful practices that help us stay fixed on what is most important.
#1 Rule for Life
Rule for life is a spiritual discipline that practices following healthy rhythms that make room and space for pursuing the presence of God. It’s more than just implementing a personal quiet time or attending a weekly worship service, although it may well include both.
“A rule for life is a simple statement of the regular rhythms we choose in order to present our bodies to God as our “spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). Each rule, or rhythm, is a way we partner with God for the transformation only he can bring. Rules keep our lives from devolving into unintended chaos. They aren’t a burdensome list of do’s and don’ts, enumerating everything you might do in a day. Life-giving rules are a brief and realistic scaffold of disciplines that support your heart’s desire to grow in loving God and others.” 1
Margin matters because it creates the space we need to live the way we were designed to live. This discipline of following a rhythm of rules helps us to honor our limits and our desire.
Remember how I said, even the good things that keep us busy can be a distraction? It’s important to recognize the order of the mission. We start with pursuing and nurturing an intimate relationship with the LORD. The love of God empowers us to love others. The action of our faith must always be fueled from the overflow of God’s love. Loving others is the fruit of intimacy with the Father.
#2 Values
What is most important to you?
What do you see in your heart when you put it up beside the heart of God?
Align your heart with the Father’s and watch how your values begin to line up with his. When you know what you really value it makes the decision-making process easier. Here’s the thing, we will always make space for what we value most. Because margin matters, aligning our, “yes” with what we value helps us maintain that space.
Established values help us define firm lines, which help us create healthy rhythms for life. This is good and also helps to define boundaries.
#3 Boundaries
When we wrestle through why margin matters, we will be faced with the issue of boundaries. This is no easy issue to manage, but if you don’t learn to draw boundaries, you will be overcome with needs of everyone else.
Essentially, boundaries are lines and limits that you must learn how to employ in your relationships. If you find yourself always saying yes to everyone then you probably have boundary issues.
Let’s be clear, a boundary is not a wall we build to self-protect; it is a line that helps establish healthy life practices for everyone involved. Sometimes saying no is the most loving thing you can do.
If you struggle saying no, then I encourage you to read the book, “Boundaries” by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. (Note: this recommendation comes simply because I bought the book and found it extremely helpful).
#4 Balance
Margin matters in every aspect of our lives. Taking a wholistic approach to life is super important. What I mean is that we are more than just physical beings. Well-being is just as important for the physical self as it is for the emotional self, mental self, and spiritual self.
When you look at rule for life, values and boundaries, how do you incorporate them into your whole soul? Rest, diet, soul-care, and joy are all necessary components of wholeness, so margin matters even here. Balance is important, but you must find that sweet spot with guidance of the LORD.
There will be times in life, that commitments and responsibilities take over. These situations are what we call crisis and there are definitely times we have to work through it. But, we are not meant to live in constant crisis, so balance is an important tool that helps us manage margin.
#5 Self-Control
“And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” 1 Peter 1:4-7
So, a couple of things. First, it is possible to escape the world’s corruption. Don’t fall under the enemy’s lie that says we are human and will never overcome sin. With Christ, all things are possible, but we have to live surrendered to the will of the Father. We overcome, with Christ, one issue at a time.
Second, the effort that Peter exhorts in the is passage is literally a step-by-step process of what life transformation looks like. The promises of God enable us to share his divine nature which is how we escape corruption.
Faith is where we start, but we must step in and participate in the process. We don’t just live according to feelings and opportunities. We align our hearts with the heart of the Father and build our lives around his. Moral excellence, knowledge, lead to self-control. And we don’t stop enduring just because if feels hard—we press in because that surrender brings transformation, which empowers us to love. Wow!
Why margin matters
Margin matters because it creates the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual space to fully live the life we are both created and called to live. Learning how to say no can open the way for our best yes. Wholeness, healing and life-transformation are there for the taking, but we have to allow space for it.
Margin matters because it allows us:
- The capacity to see and hear what God is doing around us.
- The opportunity to respond to his invitation.
- Time and resources to contribute to the lives of others with generous love.
Here’s the good news: God is faithful and good. He pursues his sons and daughters with a relentless love, but he does not violate our right to choose. He will do a restorative work in our lives, but only as we yield to his will.
Lean in my friend. Step into the deeper places of God’s goodness and allow him to bring your life into alignment. Pursue his heart and trust his ways, because His goal for you is wholeness. And wholeness is only found in the presence of God. Margin matters…
One comment