LIVING WITH MARGIN – PART 1
“Making Space to Win the Race”
Philippians 3:12-14
I have no peace, no quietness. I have no rest; only trouble comes. Job 3:26
I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.
But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and
sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to
what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God,
through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:12-14
MARGIN: the space between my load and my limits.
THE BENEFITS OF LIVING WITH MARGIN
HEALTHIER MIND
HEALTHIER BODY
HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS
MORE AVAILABILTY TO BE USED BY GOD
Work the first six days of the week, but rest and relax on the seventh day. This law is not only for you,
but for your oxen, donkeys, and slaves, as well as for any foreigners among you. Exodus 23:12
FIRST STEPS TO LIVING WITH MARGIN
1. I must accept my human limitations.
A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he
cannot exceed. Job 14:5 (NIV)
Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit. Psalm 119:96
2. Ask myself what drives me to overload my life?
So what do people get in this life for all their hard work and anxiety? Their days of labor are filled with
pain and grief; even at night their minds cannot rest. It is all meaningless. Ecclesiastes 2:22
3. Expect problems and delays.
Jesus: “In this world you will have trouble!” John 16:33b (NIV)
“Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and
regret it later.” Proverbs 22:3 (GNT)
4. Add space to my schedule.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to
eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. Psalm 127:2
“Only someone too stupid to find his way home would wear himself out with work.”
Ecclesiastes 10:15 (GNT)
5. Prune my activities regularly.
“There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away.” Ecclesiastes 3:6b (NCV)
…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us
run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1b
6. Walk with Jesus and learn.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you
rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will
find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30