The MITs, 10/02/11

Things are truly important as they relate to godly obedience and/or long term results. A helpful question is "What will happen if I don't do this thing?" If the answer is "nothing," then the activity must not be important.

Q2 activity, overall, is more important than Q1 because of its long term effect on things in general and its effect on Q1 specifically. Q1 tends to shrink as Q2 gains power in your life.

Having the right priorities can be approached top->down or bottom->up.

In the top->down approach, you identify your purpose in life, then devise 5-year goals, then decide on some 1-2 year goals that will be your top priorities as you reach for those 5-year goals, then identify your roles in your family, church, career, community, and personal development, which will help you rank the importance of the 20-30 projects you're currently working on, which gives you your actions list for the day and week. *whew!*

In the bottom->up approach, you focus immediately on getting your life in order so that your mind can be free to rise to higher levels and hear God's leading *genuinely.* This is a part of walking carefully, not as those who don't know the meaning of life, but as those who do (Eph 5:15).