In order to fulfil God’s plan for our lives, we need to set clear priorities and live by them each day. Author Edward de Bono said, ‘A conclusion is the place where you get tired of thinking.’ Sadly, many people arrive at priorities based on where they ran out of steam. We definitely don’t want to do that. We also shouldn’t allow other people to decide our agenda or our priorities. Many ways exist for setting priorities. First, and foremost, our plan must always line up with God’s will for us (see Hebrews 13:20-21). Jesus said, ‘I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.’ Remember these points: 1) We must know that God has chosen and appointed us to a particular area of service. 2) Our goal in life should be fruit that ‘remains’ after us – our legacy, what people remember us for. If we use them properly, things like money and influence can help us, but they must never become our ultimate goal or our heart’s desire. So, how can we establish the right priorities? As we get to know ourselves better, we can begin to focus on our strengths and the things that make best use of our God-given skills. We should think about what brings us the highest return and reward. And we should think about what we enjoy most and do best. Those are our core gifts. Use the 80/20 rule – that means giving 80 per cent of our effort to the top 20 per cent of our activities – because Jesus said we are to give your attention to the areas that bear the most fruit.
