Have you ever received feedback that you need to delegate more? If you find yourself constantly overworked, and grinding away each day, I presume if you haven’t yet, you will. Better yet, maybe you need a reminder in this moment right now, would you be better equipped if you allowed yourself to delegate? In other words, could you serve others better, by accepting help?
It can be humbling, especially when we are used to doing things our own way. Does the phrase, “if you want it done right, you better do it yourself” resonate? I heard it as a child, and have probably even said it in the last year; and perhaps there are times when it has merit, but the more I dive deeper in knowing Christ, the more I see we are called to areas of tension. Yes, work hard, produce a bountiful harvest, AND stay humble enough to allow others to help when the to-do list string out just a little more than we can handle. And it can be tough! It takes humility to give up the control (or the illusion of control) it takes trust to hand off a task, a relationship or responsibility to someone else.
Immediately, I find myself battling the “what if” round of questions to protect my own self, as if I could do it better than the very person sent to help me. Oof, that’s pride. If anything, we should be asking ourselves what ifs like, if we delegate, how will it affect our stress, our time, relationships, or productivity? The list of positive effects goes on. Would you be robbed of your purpose by unloading the crippling weight of too much to do? My answer is no! Rather, it will help you hone in, and focus your time and talents on the purpose placed in you, ultimately allowing you to achieve more with clarity.
In the early days, the disciples were reckoning with how to manage and run God’s church. I almost think of them like a board of directors, with lots of oversight, vision, and a clear goal to spread the good news of the gospel, but as the church was growing, so were the quarrels and problems they faced. In fact –
They said, “It wouldn’t be right for us to abandon our responsibilities for preaching and teaching the Word of God to help with the care of the poor. So, friends, choose seven men from among you whom everyone trusts, men full of the Holy Spirit and good sense, and we’ll assign them this task. Meanwhile, we’ll stick to our assigned tasks of prayer and speaking God’s Word.”
Acts 6:2-4 (MSG)
I remember the first time I read that. I had to read it in at least 3 more translations. God, did they really just delegate? I think they did. My favorite part here, was that the poor were never neglected. The apostles didn’t say, we have better things to do, go away. They knew that to be good stewards of the church they were building, included God’s will for them to care for the needy; and, there were only 24 hours in a day then, just like there are now. So rather than spreading themselves too thin, and trying to do it all, they intentionally and prayerfully found the right people for the job. In fact, if you keep reading, they prayed and dedicated their new helpers after they joined.
Maybe this is even further evidence how powerful the idea to delegate was – the bible says in verse 5 that the whole congregation was pleased. How often do you see that? First the church body was arguing, and then they all came to agreement because a group of men made a decision? (Okay maybe I’m being a little cheeky) – but I hope you see what I am trying to convey, that the decision to delegate was better for everyone involved. The people needing to be helped had their needs met, those who were growing in their faith and ready to take on more responsibility were elevated, the apostles were able to devote their time to their calling, and the entire congregation was at peace with the decision.
Delegating for you and I doesn’t have to be this big or dramatic. My hope is that by unlocking the ability to pass work on, you level up in different areas of your life. If you can focus more, quality of work might go up, stress might go down and maybe, just maybe, we are more pleasant to be around, in and out of the office.
You may be in a season where you don’t know who you could even offload to, and that is okay. We have the help of technology, services, and don’t forget about your friends, family, or maybe your partner or your network! If none of that seems to fit your needs, I encourage you to pray about it. Ask God how you can delegate some of your overflow in this season, so that you can spend your time reaching for the stars that He has called you to.
Know that you do not have to carry this load alone, God wants you to release it to Him, and He will place the right people to carry out what needs to be done. We are built to do this life, together! Go, and be free!
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