To be productive by definition is the quality of producing in abundance or to reap results, benefits or profits.
I’m not sure if you’ve been living under a rock but the last year has been particularly crazy. Lockdown 1, 2 and 3.0. Work from home, learn from home, socialise from home. We’ve too much time on our hands, we’ve not enough time on our hands. During all this, the question on everyone’s lips (well to me anyway) was “So what are you doing with your time?”.
I haven’t perfected my script, but it usually goes something like: “All sorts!” When in reality I’ve been sprawled on the sofa in the same position for four hours, scrolling on social media with an array of cups of tea and an empty packet of biscuits next to me.
Anyone else?
Social media has helped me connect this past year. Sharing TikToks, tagging friends in memes, FaceTiming, Zooming, you name it, I’ve done it. But after a while I stopped connecting and found myself comparing. So many people on my social media feed were hustling. And here I was on holiday. New business ventures here, a side hustle there, new music releases. Friends becoming YouTubers, bloggers and podcasters. I bought into a lie that I wasn’t being productive enough with my time, I wasn’t producing anything in abundance and I certainly wasn’t reaping results or profit! I felt like I wasn’t worth anything and felt more deflated than encouraged.
External productivity is good for us. I fully support my friends and their businesses, music and podcasts. I like being productive too. I love finishing pieces of work and learning new things.
However, this isn’t the only measure of a good day’s work. 2 Peter 1:5 talks about internal or spiritual productivity saying this “…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to your goodness, knowledge; and to your knowledge, self-control; and to your self-control, perseverance; and to your perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
So, for the days when I haven’t finished the application I was supposed to, I haven’t read a book, I haven’t moved the washing that’s been drying for the past 2 weeks, I think to myself, God how have we been productive today? How have I added to my faith?
Have I read something good that I can reflect on? Have I shown love to somebody? Have I exercised self-control?
God wants me to seek first his kingdom. So alongside whatever I might be producing day-to-day at work or at college or in my friendships, I want to make sure that my spiritual life is productive too!
Love Georgia x
RHRG family
Remember this: Productivity is good, it gives us a sense of accomplishment when we can tick things off our list, but when we add to it goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection; and love that equals true productivity.
