How Routines Demonstrate God's Faithfulness--and How to Write Yours
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”—Matthew 25:21
Matthew 25:21 pinpoints what earns God’s praise—faithfulness. Whatever we have been given, whether it is five, two, or only one talent, He is looking for faithfulness.
Will I be faithful when no one sees? Will I be faithful when a task is required of me day after day? Will I be faithful when there is no earthly reward?
The truth is, much of life is like that isn’t it?
It’s not the grand moments that make up our lives but the little things that keep life going. When we do these tasks faithfully, we can grow in appreciation for the God who is faithful to us. He keeps showing up day after day with His everlasting mercies (Lam. 3:22, 23).
Our faithfulness in work is one way we worship Him. It is an investment towards eternity. Even the smallest task, faithfully carried out daily over a lifetime is a good work worthy of praise.
One way that has helped it easier for me to be faithful is to design routines. These take the friction out of these tasks that need to be done daily. By thinking through and crafting a routine that will help me to do the next thing without a whole lot of decision making and deliberation, I can learn to be faithful in the ordinary.
What are routines?
Routines are a series of regularly performed habits or procedures arranged in sequence that take the guesswork or decision making out. These happen at regular and/or specific times of the day and can help set up for other tasks or just keep the daily rhythms of life going.
Why create a routine?
There are several reasons why you might wish to create a routine:
It reflects God’s faithfulness.
It shapes our character to mirror His faithfulness.
It is a means to wise stewardship, helping us reliably use His resources for the good of others.
There are many benefits: relieves stress—we know things will get done; builds security, economizes on time, and makes life run more smoothly.
When do you build routines?
Wherever there is chaos on your life might be a good place to start! Here are some suggested times:
Before beginning the day
Before starting your work day
Transition times, for example before leaving for work or school or a bedtime routine for kids
Tying up loose ends at the end of your work day
Preparing your body to sleep
Routines tend to be daily in nature, so ask yourself where the day snags for you or when you waste a lot of time because you forget things that ought to be done. Creating a routine helps you to not forget them—like a shower, cleaning, or devotional routine.
How do you build a routine?
This is the process I use:
Identify where things are chaotic or disorganized and start there.
Write out what you already are doing, along with a rough estimate of time. Time yourself if you don’t know.
Cluster like tasks or tasks that naturally follow one another together.
Order these clusters, numbering them 1 (must be done first), 2 (what’s next), and so on.
Mentally walk through your tentative routine. Are there any missing steps?
Reverse-engineer your routine: How much time do you need for all of it—when do you need to start it?
Highlight the part of your routine that is new or different or focus on the part that would be most helpful to start with.
Write out your new routine, highlighting the new section if you’re incorporating it in an existing one, in a format where you can follow it like a checklist until it becomes natural.
Decide when you will test-drive your new routine. Give yourself time to learn it and give it your all.
Re-evaluate after a week or so to tweak and fine-tune.
Thinking through a routine may take time, but carving time out to work it out on the front end can save you hours of wasted time later. Making intentional plans helps move us little by little towards a life growing in grace.
Remember: The goal is not simply to have a routine. It is faithfulness. And if routines can help you to be faithful in doing the work God gives you to do, I hope you’ll give them a try!
