Customer Reviews

Ordering Your Private World

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McDonald's book is one I reread every January. It puts me back on the track of ordering my life again after the chaos of the holidays. If you have a tendency to procrastinate, to overload your calendar, or you easily lose sight of how to structure your time, this book will be the greatest gift (if you take the time to read it) you ever give yourself.

One of the more profound things McDonald addresses in his book is being honest enough to say you can't be all things to all people. In fact, he cites examples in the Bible to say that it should never be our goal. "Called people know exactly who they are not," McDonald says. There is freedom in those words for the person who thinks he or she must do everything. He uses John the Baptist as an example. When John is asked in Scripture who he is, he says he is not Christ. McDonald says, "Knowing who he was not was the beginning of knowing who he was." John knew the role of his life and ministry and because of it, was able to do his job of acting as "forerunner to Christ."

Through a chapter by chapter study guide at the back of the book written by Leslie H. Stobbe, the reader can examine his or her life by answering questions. In many ways, I found the study guide's questions sent me on a journal experience as I read the scriptures suggested. The study guide is gentle, yet you can go as indepth as you want to.

What I also like about McDonald's advice is that he truly gives examples of how to order your world. How to order your office, create files, etc. that really will simplify your life. He doesn't pulpitize the reader, rather he provides examples from his own life where he failed too and how he was able to change.

Buy this book and change your life. This will not be a book you put on your shelf or bury in your nightstand drawer. This will be a book that you will underline in, write in, and use as a resource to keep you on the track of succeeding in organizing your private world.

ORDERING YOUR PRIVATE WORLD By Gordon Macdonald Reviewed by Lindsay Woods

In this book, Gordon Macdonald looks at an aspect of our lives that is commonly overlooked, often with devastating results. He speaks of an area of our life apart from the external. If we think of our public life being filled with work, relationships and different achievements, them we might think of our private world a where we spend time with God and become spiritually refreshed.

Gordon likens it to a bridge on a ship, where we assess our life for signs of impending crisis, or burnout. Where we access all information, on our current state. Our motivations, relationships, spirit, and calendar are all checked.

He discusses the danger of unchecked motivation. One of the things he looks at is the person who is driven to achieve their goals, how to recognize them, and the things that suffer in their pursuit. He uses a case study to illustrate the point, detailing an individual who's aims were wealth, and prestige - external things. A person with no use for internal qualities like wisdom. The results being that he was receiving counsel to save his marriage.

Gordon looks at the contrast between driven people and called people. The latter recognizing that they are stewards of the life that God has given them, and that any position that they have is from God therefore they needn't strive to achieve or equally to maintain.

Our usage of Time is examined. Criteria for evaluating effective time usage, and guidelines for improving productivity. Symptoms like broken deadlines, dislike of work and self, and lack of intimacy with God point to poor time organization. Time is a gift from God, that must be used carefully. Gordon suggests that it must be budgeted much like money, and for the most part the budget adhered to. We must learn to do the most important things, not necesarily the most urgent. We should spend most of our time doing what we are best at.

We need to at training our minds, in both knowledge and wisdom. Our minds should be sharp, going beyond accumulation of information, but working with that information in order to be able to answer to hard question that people face. We do this by listening, reading and studying.

Gordon also looks at the importance of hearing from God, and the necessity of time spent in silence to be able to. He suggest keeping of a journal as a means of expression to God, keeping track of progress and answered prayer.

He finishes by looking at restoration and the need for a Sabbath rest. This is differentiated form leisure. Leisure is the pursuit of interests, past times, whereas rest is actively getting spirit refreshed. Having a set aside with plenty of time for prayer, reading, walks, etc.

I found this book held my interest. I particularly wanted to learn about ordering my time, as I don't seem to have much surplus. The section of the book dealing with this was very useful in suggesting the idea of budgeting time, in advance. I have started using my diary much more, to plan ahead. The main thing I am working on at the moment is sticking to the plans I make. This is not always straightforward. I am budgeting more time for prayer and reading, and fitting a Sabbath day into my calendar when my job takes over a Sunday.

Also along the same lines, is the fact that my time can be swallowed up with my doing things that I am O.K. at, but which prevent me from giving more time to things that I am best at. I am trying to work out which things I should be letting go of at the moment.

A lot of the things that he talked about seemed to be very sensible and helpful. I am working on applying them to my life.

Other than the Bible, Ordering Your Private World has been the most influential book on my life and I read it (or reread favorite parts) at least once per year. All five sections of this book have influenced my life for the better: motivation, use of time, wisdom and knowledge, spiritual strength, and restoration. MacDonald starts out by dealing with our motivation in how we use our time. He contrasts the life of the driven person with the life of the person who is called - and share distinct things about their life that you will notice. For example, a driven person is preoccupied with acquiring the symbols of accomplishment - while the called person focuses on good stewardship of what they have. Once MacDonald deals with the differences between being driven & called, he deals with the use of time and shares some symptoms of poor time management. One of the most practical sections of the book, "MacDonald's Laws of Unseized Time" follows these symptoms - as the reader is shown how to budget their time for good use. Once that you see how to recapture the use of your time and control it - Gordon then discusses the last three sections - on wisdom and knowledge, spiritual strength, and restoration. One of my favorite parts of this book - are the memos that are at the beginning of every chapter. I will close with this one: "If my private world is in order, it will be because I am convinced that the inner world of the spiritual must govern the outer world of activity."

Recently, I was reading Bill Hybels' Too Busy Not To Pray. In it he referred to this book as the source of some ideas about how to journal without spending hours each day at it. Since I'm not naturally a journaler, but I do see the benefits of journaling, I picked up this book to see what MacDonald had to say about it. I found an entire book of stimulating ideas.

MacDonald draws a compelling analogy for people who do not spend time developing their inner resources: they're like sinkholes. A sinkhole is a geologic phenomenon that occurs when the water table is being depleted. On the surface, everything looks OK, until a point of depletion is reached where the surface is no longer sustainable; it collapses into the emptiness beneath. Likewise, a person who goes through life without attending to their inner life will find that when difficult times strike, they will not have the inner strength to respond. They will collapse -- emotionally, physically, and/or relationally.

He then goes on to talk about how to develop our inner strength. He starts by talking about living as a called person, not a driven person. How can you tell which you are? He gives some guidelines (for example, #1: A driven person is most often gratified only by accomplishment. #6: Driven people tend to be highly competitive. #8: Driven people are often abnormally busy) and talks about how to live as a called person. He talks about using our time wisely by "seizing" it and talks about what happens when we don't. MacDonald's law of unseized time #3 says "Unseized time surrenders to the demands of all emergencies." The book has some good suggestions, not new to most of us who have studied time management, but a good refresher and motivator nonetheless.

The section that I most enjoyed, and one that discusses an issue I've never seen discussed in Christian writings, is the importance of developing our intellectual capacity. He describes what happens when a person is a "fast starter" in life and unwittingly learns to coast on his/her abilities. He challenges us to read widely, not just Christian literature. When is the last time you read a book you disagreed with, and read it all the way through? He talks about other ways we grow intellectually all through our life: by being interested in others' lives, by being good listeners, "aggressive" listeners, by listening to our critics, by keeping a pen at hand when we're reading to record thoughts that strike us or that we would like to share with others, and more generally to keep a pen at hand at all times so we can record things that seem significant -- at church, at meetings, during offhand conversations. In other words, journaling isn't just recording daily activities, prayers, and answers to prayer, as I had originally conceived it.

His next section is entitled "Spiritual Strength", and in it he speaks of the disciplines. He talks of the risk of losing certain privileges if we become undisciplined. For example, "we will never learn to enjoy the eternal and infinite perspective on reality that we were created to have." "We will lack a vital, life-giving friendship with Christ." We "will lose .. the fear of accountability to God." "We "lose the awareness of our real size in comparison to the Creator. And conversely, we forget our specialness and value before Him as His sons and daughters." Finally, "we have little reserve or resolve for crisis moments such as failure, humiliation, suffering, the death of a loved one, or loneliness."

On journal keeping: "As I write, I am aware that what I am writing may actually be what God wants to tell me. I dare to presume that His Spirit is often operative in the things I am choosing to think about and record. And it becomes important to search my heart to see what conclusions He may be engendering, what matters He wishes to remind me about, what themes He hopes to stamp upon my private world." "As I write on consecutive pages of the journal, I also write from the back page toward the front. The back pages hold my list of people and concerns that I have chosen to make a matter of intercessory prayer... Then, continuing to work from the back pages toward the center of the journal, I often put in excerpts from my current reading that particularly impress me. Often, I will take time to simply read through many of these brief paragraphs. They may be prayers, reflective comments from the writings of people like St. Thomas, A.W. Tozer, and Amy Carmichael, or portions of scripture."

I could continue to excerpt wonderful passages from this book, but I hope I have shown you just enough to inspire you to pick the book up and read it. Throughout the book, MacDonald tells stories of people whose lives demonstrate the principles he is discussing. I found the book most engaging and never boring. I am stimulated to read it again ... this time with pen in hand!

This book is like a textbook for those who want more organization in their lives. Unless you have a perfect memory, you'll definitely want to read this book multiple times: once to get the gist, then taking notes on successive readings, giving consideration to life application. I plan to undertake a fourth reading using the included study guide.

As the author warns, this book approaches the task of "ordering your private world" from an entirely Christian perspective. So this book will probably not be the cup of tea for the person who doesn't share the Christian worldview. But for those who do, it is invaluable. This book treats life issues I don't hear discussed much in Christian circles -- not because they're taboo necessarily, but perhaps because they just don't occur to us. But once you start reading, you'll say "I needed to hear this!" The book covers five "sectors" that need to be addressed to bring one's life into order: motivation, use of time, wisdom and knowledge, spiritual strength, and restoration.

MacDonald's advice is absolutely practical, never overbearingly spiritual, although he gives many biblical examples. He makes clear that his own life was not always organized, and acknowledges that some of his methods are simply what worked for him -- others may differ (although personally I can't recall any points where I disagreed).

In a nutshell: this is a must-read for anyone who has ever struggled with any disorder and disorganization in their life.

Gordon's book is written from the perspective of someone who has learned along the way, made mistakes and is just reaching out to help others from falling into that same trap. With personal memos to the disorganized, you feel that there's actually practical advice you can use. Unlike a book that'll make you feel like a complete mess, and your life is sinking in a pit of activity and chaos, you feel like you can actually see the light at the end of your tunnel. I must warn you however, don't read this book simply for information, and don't read it too fast - it can really stimulate life change, as it has changed mine. This book tells us that to have an ordered public life, we must have a Christ directed inner world that governs that public life. If there were more stars I'd give it more.

Ordering Your Private World will challenge you to think and evaluate the direction of your life and how easily you let outward circumstances disturb your inner life.

Among the principles MacDonald covers are:

1. Busyness is not always of God.
2. Driven people focus on the external while ignoring the private world.
3. We must not let busyness upset us or cause us to neglect the inner life.
4. The importance of solitude and time alone with God.
5. Jesus used His time wisely.
6. The characteristics of a called person.
7. Specific steps and encouragement to discipline the mind.
8. The importance of prayer and intercession for others.

Be encouraged and challenged to evaluate your relationship with God and see what happens!

All in all, a highly recommended read!

"Ordering Your Private" world is a practical book that should be read by every Christian. Gordon McDonald lays forth some great principles that will help believers live a well balnced Christian life.

In this book he stresses the importance of dealing with our inner/private world. He rightly sees this as a key focal point of the Christian life. It is our inner world/life, reasons McDonald, that needs to be regulated. "Where people live with disorder within, there is anxiety and little growth. But where the private world is constantly realigned and regulated, there is remarkable personal development and Christian witness."

Again, I highly recommend this book!

Are you a "driven" person, or a called person? Gordon MacDonald offers a thought-provoking distinction on which you may begin to examine your own life and your heart. It's one of the best books I've read on spiritual formation, and I've come back to it time and again.

I shall begin this review on a personal note. I once suffered serious burn-out in the ministry. In the months that followed, I was propped up by giving diligent attention to what has been referred to as the "wheel of balance". Looking back, however, the "wheel of balance" was merely a temporary fix. I believe I found the real solution when I came to learn my calling. A minister friend has put it like this: there are quite likely a thousand ministers who would be better qualified for your position, yet you are the person God decided to put there. That is, one's effectiveness in ministry has little to do with one's own suitability or performance, but with God's anointing.

With this in mind, "Ordering Your Private World" would seem to take a middle way between the "wheel of balance" and the learning of one's calling. It proposes a wheel of balance with five segments: motivation (don't be driven, but listen for the call of Christ), use of time (it is God's gift, use it carefully, allocate it in terms of giftedness), wisdom and knowledge (grow in wisdom and knowledge, and put these to good use), spiritual strength (enlarge the spiritual centre of your life), and restoration (press Sabbath peace into the rush and routine of life). At the same time, the book has a sound emphasis on one's calling, of which some examples:

~ "Why is it that for so many the answer to personal tension and pressure lies not in going to the bridge of life, but rather attempting to run faster, protest more vigorously, accumulate more, collect more data, and gain more expertise?"

~ "Jesus Christ will not do mighty works in the private worlds of people who are driven. He never has. He seems to prefer to work with people whom He calls."

~ "When, in complete submission, [Saul] asked Jesus Christ, "What shall I do, Lord?" a driven man was converted into a called one."

~ "Often, at the moment when it is least expected, hostile events conspire, and there can be collapse. Called people have strength from within, perseverance and power that are impervious to the blows from without."

~ "Ask the question: What is my mission today? Not to regularly ask this question is to leave yourself open to mistakes of judgement and direction."