Gathering the Pieces

Let’s see if I can say all this in a logical order. A time management mailing list I’m on has recently been talking about Covey’s “four quadrants,” which break tasks down by their urgency and importance (with urgent being those things which are “immediate,” or clamor for attention).  This was brought back to mind as I worked through part of a Bible study this morning.  Some online friends have started a study through a book called Calm My Anxious Heart, which is about contentment, and I am joining in.

Calm My Anxious Heart

To be honest, when I finished the first chapter, I was not too sure about how helpful it was going to be for me, because the author’s idea of what causes discontent didn’t seem to really match up with what I struggle with.  (I struggle with discontent, don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to come across as having “arrived” in this area!  I just don’t struggle for the reason she seemed to be describing in the first chapter.) Over the last few days, though, I’ve been working through the second chapter and it has been wonderful!  Not only is it convicting, the author did an excellent job of walking me through the exact thought process I needed in order to see what it is I need to work on.  (Now actually doing it – that’s another story.)  One of the earlier assignments for this chapter was to make a list of all of the negatives about my current circumstances, along with a list of all the positives.

Putting the Pieces Together (The “Light Bulb Moment”)

One thing I noticed is that those negative things – which I have such a tendency to dwell on – are, for the most part, relatively insignificant things; they are just so integrated with my everyday life that they command my attention.  Most of the positive things, on the other hand, are not the sorts of things that clamor for attention on a daily basis, but are of great significance.  (As an example, one of the negatives is a leaky kitchen faucet.  I can’t miss that; it leaks every time I work in the kitchen.  But it really isn’t very important.  On the other hand, I have a wonderful husband who is totally on the same page in many major lifestyle areas, sparing us much consternation, but this fact does not continually put itself in front of my face.) So, just as those learning to manage their time must strive to focus on the important tasks instead of the “urgent” ones that beg for attention, I must, in striving for contentment, learn to set aside those “urgent” negatives in favor of the more important positives.