“How you spend your time is more important than how you spend your money. Money mistakes can be corrected, but time is gone forever.” ~ David Norris

In a world that tugs us in every which direction, that slowly drains our time, steals our emotions, and leaves us for dead, how do we make heads or tails of all our goals. Most people get overwhelmed with the burden of choosing among:

* Biblical values

* Worldly values

* Personal values and belief systems

* Family member values

* Society’s goals

How in the world do we balance?

In most cases you cannot combine these beliefs because they often contradict one another. For example most worldly investment, estate planning, and retirement planning advice contradict biblical principles. It becomes extremely important when you are prioritizing goals that you have input from someone who is able to assist you in making complex decisions.

Often a qualified Christian financial planner can provide you with an independent, unbiased assessment of your financial goals as well as specific strategies to work toward those goals. He or she will also help you rank and decipher which goals are most realistic and achievable. Your priorities will decide the level of balance, where you need to adjust, as well as where you need to shift focus.

Priorities

A woman parked her brand-new Lexus in front of her office, ready to show it off to her colleagues. As she got out, a truck passed too close and completely tore off the door on the driver’s side. The woman immediately grabbed her cell phone, dialed 911, and within minutes a policeman pulled up.

Before the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the woman started screaming hysterically. Her Lexus, which she had just picked up the day before, was now completely ruined and would never be the same, no matter what the body shop did to it.

When the woman finally wound down from her ranting and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust and disbelief. ”I can’t believe how materialistic you women are,” he said.  “You are so focused on your possessions that you don’t notice anything else.” “How can you say such a thing?” asked the woman. The cop replied, “Don’t you know that your left arm is missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn off when the truck hit you.” “Oh my gosh!” screamed the woman. “Where’s my tennis bracelet?”

So where are your priorities?