Multi-tasking Fail

We take turns in providing the devotion for our weekly staff meeting. My turn was last week. I forgot. Until our meeting began and I was on the spot it was easy to blame my forgetfulness on being too busy, or to use one of my favorite excuses - that I was multi-tasking and it slipped my mind. Arrgh! Thankfully, Carley generously offered to switch places with me.

Janet Starkey

With multi-tasking on my mind and it’s supposed usefulness, I found this post written by Father David Ousley, a rector in Philadelphia. Here he reflects on how the practice of multi-tasking in everyday life affects our prayer life - and life in general. He writes:

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​The whole idea of multi-tasking as something good is based on the assumption that life is about getting things done. I admit that the world often operates as though this were the case (and when we are being worldly, we do too). But it is false. Human life, and Christian life, is more about love than about accomplishments.

How we deal with the mundane things – work, home, driving, etc. – affects what happens when we  come to prayer. If we cultivate distractedness, as, for example, by multi-tasking, then we will bring distractedness to our prayer. If, on the other hand, we cultivate attention, this will bear fruit at the time of prayer. I would suggest therefore that we renounce multi-tasking, and strive to do one thing at a time, so far as that is possible . . . .

This may mean that we put the cell phone aside and ignore the incoming texts so that we can attend to something else. It may mean turning off the television or radio which we have kept on in the background. It certainly means that we strive to attend to the one thing before us, and cultivate the discipline of single-tasking, so far a possible. This will be counter-cultural, and we must be prepared for being out of sync with the world around us. But this is often true for Christians, and we might as well get used to it.

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​I have definitely subscribed to the notion that multi-tasking is a good thing, and in my stubborn-ness it will be hard for me to pull myself out of that thinking. But I do acknowledge that I need to work towards single-tasking so I can give my best to any one thing at a time — God, my family, my work, or myself.

Matthew 6:6 The Message
Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simple and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.

In His Name, Janet