"One day, a man walking through the forest came upon a logger (lumberjack) who was sawing away at a large tree and not getting very far at all. The man approached the logger as he stopped for a moment to rest and observed that the logger would get further if he sharpened his saw. The logger replied that he didn't have the time to sharpen the saw because he was busy cutting down the tree and returned to his work." 

This is an excellent reminder for us all. With all the news and information out there on Social Media, trying to make sure we are "caught up on things," and with all of life's daily demands in front of us, we can easily neglect the very thing that will keep us anchored, focused, and in a place of faith. We must be intentional to make time to keep the saw sharp in our lives.

If we don't make room to sharpen our spiritual lives, we become dull. We work relentlessly only to achieve less and less. It doesn't make much sense. We must take decisive action and war against what one writer called The Tyranny of the Urgent, where the greatest danger is letting the urgent things crowd out the important.

Keeping the Spiritual Blade Sharp

Keeping the "spiritual blade" sharp is what Jesus did consistently. In the middle of two of the greatest miracles He performed, the feeding of the 5,000 and walking on water, is an obscure verse that gives us an answer to His amazing life.

Mark 6:46 "After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray."

The two miracles are the direct result of this one verse. We tend to focus more on the miracles themselves rather than the verse that provided the substance for them. Jesus not only lived from a place of communion but went away to commune. He was intentional, leaving behind distractions and disruptions to get the fuel to change history.

I do five things daily to consistently "keep the spiritual blade sharp" in my walk with the Lord.

1. Schedule Intentionally. I have a set time to meet with the Lord daily. Yes, it's actually in my calendar. If I don't make the time, I will lose it. I've created a morning workflow with significant time built-in for Bible reading, prayer, and journaling. It's working well for me.

2. Read Initially. Reading the Bible first creates a focus and a launching pad for me. Part of my reading is a systematic study of God's Word. I know exactly where to begin each day. Then I select scriptures I feel like the Lord is leading me to meditate on.

3. Wait Patiently. I don't rush off to prayer. I close my eyes, focus on the Father's love, and offer thanksgiving and praise. I remind myself that He delights in me and is enjoying our time together. Here I experience His presence and discover His heart. 

4. Share Honestly. I begin to pray back what I sense is on the Lord's heart. I have discovered that I do better when I do this out loud with the understanding and in the Spirit. I have a list to keep me focused so I remember what I've committed to in prayer. I endeavor to be open and honest with my heart. I find this the best place to gain revelation and sense His love and presence within. 

5. Journal Consistently. I have a journal that I keep in the DayOne app. I add testimonies, prophetic words, events, pictures, ideas, and things I sense the Lord telling me. This works great for me. Use whatever tool works for you.

If you do something like this with the Lord daily, you will be more confident, secure, bold, and discerning. Stress will fall off, and tension will decrease as His peace begins to rule your heart. You will be able to give more freely, love more deeply, and live from a place of rest in the middle of these crazy times. You will be more assured about the direction and decisions that need to be made.

More importantly, you will know the closeness of the Father's love, the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, and a growing dialogue and friendship with Jesus.

P. Greg

Your turn: What is your experience in committing daily time with the Lord to keep that spiritual blade sharp?