Charles E. Hummel book: "Tyranny of the Urgent"

   I have recently read a booklet by Charles E. Hummel called “Tyranny of the Urgent” (1994, InterVarstiy Press). This is an overview of his book and my personal application of it to my life.

Hummel begins his book by probing for the root problem for unwise use of time in our life. He identifies outright that the problem is wrong priorities. Further, I believe, he implies that the problem is also a lack of diligence in management of our time.

   When we do not have the correct priorities, we do what other people want us to do, what we feel like doing, and the actions we see as urgent, instead of the important assignments that God gives us to accomplish.

Hummel believes that our priorities should be alined with Jesus' priorities revealed in the Bible. Christ's priority was to do His Father's will, even when it conflicted with the urgent demands of His friends. Even though there were still many suffering people around Him at the end of His life, Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:4, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” He knew that He had finished the work that God had given Him, because He made it a practice to spend much time in prayer to the Father, receiving the Father's instructions day by day (Mark 1:35), and He did only what His Father said to do.

   It is so important for us to know the will of God in regards to our time. If Christ depended on His Father for instruction and direction, how much more do we also need to depend on God.

   We can gain God's perspective by reading His word, and by praying. Hummel says (p.13), “...the root of all sin is self-sufficiency—independence from the rule of God.” If we do not rely on God's guidance, then we are saying that we do not need Him, and this is sin. In order to be on the right track, we must spend time with God, and let His will become ours.

   Spending time can be a lot like spending money. Jesus, in His parables, instructs us that we must be good stewards of what He has given us. It says in Luke 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded.” Just as it is easy to spend money unwisely for impressive looking items that we don't really need, Hummel says on page 17 that we can do the same with our time, “We spend hours on the impulse of an unexpected opportunity or demand.”

   We as people do what is important to us. When we say that we do not have the time to do something, it is because we find something else more important for which to use that time. The things we do, we don't do because we have time available, we do them because we choose to.

   The first action we must take to begin using time wisely is to decide what things are most important to us.
   God has put each person in different circumstances, so each person must as Hummel says, “consider the basic components of a productive Christian life and prayerfully set specific goals” (p.18). Is it relationships (with God, our family, or friends) that matter to us, or is it our work, or hobbies? Hummel recommends that we make a list of the things that matter most to us and estimate how much time each week each thing will take.

   He also says that we must find out how we are currently spending our time. It is easy to waste time without realizing it, so if we record what every 30 minutes' activity is, we see where we are not doing the things that are important.

   We must carefully and slowly change our lifestyle so that we will not fail and become discouraged. We must start from where we are and change only a few things at once. Hummel writes on page 23, “Consider one high-priority for which more time needs to be budgeted. Then make the hard decision as to what activity must be cut back, if not eliminated, to free up those required extra hours.” He also points out the importance of spending time in the word of God.

   It is very crucial to not give up in our efforts to replace the wasted time with important activities. We must set aside time to listen to God's will and take inventory of our spiritual lives (p.27). Nothing is too urgent enough to keep us from planning what our lives need to be.

Personal Application:

   One part that has affected me is Hummel's advice to take the time to listen to God. We can even try to do good things, but if He has not ordained us to do them we had better not do them. God is faithful and all-knowing, if we listen to His plan, we will not be slaves to the urgent. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” It may seem to be a waste to spend time seeking God's face in that we don't get physical work done, but God has given us this promise that if we do seek His face, He will supply all the needs of our life (Matthew 6).

Hummel's practical advice really helped me. After the advice to decide what is important, to find out how I am now using my time, and to then make a budget of the activities that I need to spend my time on, he cautioned that I change my lifestyle one item at a time so that I do not become overwhelmed. 

   The first area that I believe God considers important for me is first my relationship with Him. I must keep this first place. If my job, school, or pleasures crowd out Jesus, I will loose the precious fellowship I have Him, and lose my soul! I commit to having devotions and prayer every day to keep from walking away from God. I also want to do as Hummel mentioned (p.27), and weekly seek God's face to see if I have been walking in His plan, and what His plan is for the next week. I desire that the Lord help me to continually have my mind stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3) and His will for me.

   The second area is in my relationship with my family. God had given me my family for a very special reason. In my current place in life, they must take priority over friends. What this will look like is that I will spend time in fellowship in my family instead of friends.

   The third area that I believe God considers important for me is is evenly split between my job and my schooling. My job because God has blessed me with it and in it, and I have committed myself to my boss until I start school full time. My schooling, because it will prepare me for the next step in God's plan for my life, and I am already committed too deeply to give it a half-hearted attempt.

   I am have started to and will continue to record my activities to discover how I am now spending my time, so that I can find the activities that I need to avoid. One of the easiest ways I waste time is that of doing things on impulse instead of by a plan. If I am not concentrating on one thing, I begin doing small urgent things, and never get the important things done.