Margin in our lives

A thought came to me while I was walking towards church. The thought was about having margin in our lives. It will be instrumental for God’s use and it will do us good. For the past week, I was given quite a few opportunities to interact with commuters, share my experiences, helped a person on the wheelchair, gave up a seat to a mother with a child and observed human behaviour. I thought it is exciting especially if I can share my faith with those I meet. As I reflect on this, I realise that it will be difficult for me to do so if I am on the vehicle. Personally, for this season of my life, this is the margin that is created whereby I can be flexible to allow God to write in it. It will add in another dimension to my faith journey. Like a notebook with a margin drawn, I would like to encourage all of us to have margin in our lives.

What is this margin about?

I would like to liken it to the time that we have. In the Bible, time can be equated to opportunity. And we are challenged to make the most of every opportunity in the days that we are living. (Eph 5:16). We are also challenged by Paul to pray that God will give us many opportunities to speak about Christ and that we will be wise to make the most of every opportunity. (Col 4:2-5)

But the problem is that if we do not create the margin in our lives, then there will not be any space for God to write on. When opportunities arise, we may not have the time or flexibility to seize them. Imagine the frustration that comes when you have a good inspiration out of the sudden to write but there is no more space left on that piece of paper. Personally I believe that more opportunities will be given. I believe that God wants to use us more. But if we do not have the margin for God to write, we can miss out so much.

My thoughts are:  

1) If we do not create the margin in our lives, there will NEVER be any margin at all.

It is because we are too busy filling our schedules with things that are not necessary OR we are allowing people to fill up our schedules with things that are important to them.

2) When we have that margin in our lives, we can be flexible when God call us to do certain things out of the normal.

We need to have a normal schedule of spending time with our family, serving God in the church, fellowship with Christians, meeting up with non-Christian friends, working in the place God has placed us in and so on. But sometimes, when God gives us extra assignment OR when there is help needed somewhere OR when there is opportunity during that period of time, that margin we have created will enable us to act without much adjustment.

In conclusion, while we must not neglect time with people who are important, we must also be deliberate to make margin in our lives for God to write in. God will definitely use it.