This week in review: Time Studies, Meetings, and Joy
Note: If you are unfamiliar with my term “experiment”, this quick read will add a lot of context. Post: Starting Over with the Game of Minutes
This week I tried a few different “experiments.” The majority of the 1-hour experiments were during time studies. In this season, one of my main tasks at work is to perform time studies. For a typical time study, I go to the store and follow an associate around for their full shift. I make note about the different tasks they complete and where they spend their time. Some time studies require a lot of small tasks to be captured, but this study is different. The tasks I am watching are normally very long in nature. I can regularly go anywhere between 5 and 45 minutes before needing to press a button on the tablet. This leaves a lot of room for prayer.
This week, of the experiments that took place while conducting a time study, I averaged 63%. Meaning that, on average, I turned my attention back to God 63% or 38 minutes in the hour. I experimented with praying for co-workers, praying for customers as they came up, and other things. I am very very happy with this result and what I am learning from it.
To challenge myself, I also conducted “experiments” during meetings and training times. During these times, I averaged closer to 10% or 6 moments. I knew that this would be more challenging, but it is is the number one place I want to be better tuned to God’s presence. I imagine the beauty of being able to stay present to Him while talking with others.
One of the beautiful stories from this week happened on Wednesday. I walked into the store and had a sense of joy that I generally don’t have. I believe that this came from all of the prayer I was doing while conducting the studies at the store. Normally, I walk into the store dreading having to complete a time study, but God’s presence changed all of that!
Other things I learned this week:
If Spiritual Formation Had A Formula
In an older sermon, John Mark Comer shared a view of spiritual formation that I had never heard before. He shared that if there was a formula for it it would be: Spiritual Formation = Living In The Presence and Yielding. I would argue that another way of looking at this is:
Spiritual Formation = (% of Time we Live In The Presence) X (% of Life We Are Truly Willing To Yield)
You may be completely yielding, but if you are only yielding to God once a week, then you may be missing a lot of the formation He is inviting you to. (Think of the the person who only comes to church to check a box.) The same goes for people who are constantly aware of His presence but unyielding. (Think of Pharaoh when he would not let the Israelites go. He had multiple choices to yield after God brought on the plagues.)
There is no formula for spiritual formation, but if there was, I would imagine it would sound something like: Live in the presence and yield.
John Mark Comer Teachings: Take Up Your Cross | Gospel of Matthew (44:00)
A Pastor Who Is Ahead On The Journey
For months, I have had the book, Present Perfect in my saved later section on amazon. I finally decided to purchase the book, and I am so thankful that I did. Pastor Gregory has been on this same journey for decades and I look forward to learning from his wisdom. You will more than likely see his influence in future posts as I digest his wisdom and approach to this experiment.
This week’s details:
On Monday, I tried two different sessions:
- 9:00-10:00 AM, 24 moments (40%)
- Meetings from 2:00-3:00 PM, 5 moments (8%)
Tuesday: 8:00-9:00 PM, 37 moments (62%)
Wednesday, two one hour blocks
- 51 moments 4:00-5:00 PM (85%)
- 7 moments 7:00-8:00 PM during training (12%)
Thursday 4:00-5:00 PM, 38 moments (63%)
Friday: I did one experiment after work while taking with a friend. Unsure about the actual number, but I believe it would be low.
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