With mind uncluttered

My original plan taking up the pastorate last December 2024 was that perhaps on my day off Mondays and perhaps onto Tuesday I could write my book. But for 15 months I did not write a single page despite several times trying. But now in one month with peace and quiet I wrote 22,000 words and perhaps in less than a month from now I could complete my first draft of the commentary on John's Gospel 13-21. All these I could put down to having a mind uncluttered.

For 15 months and more, my mind was cluttered by many church things, issues, conflicts, care of church members, some positive and many negatives as well.. Often I found myself putting out fires caused by others and worse still not having the authority to act when I knew I could have done something 10 or 100 times better. 

I realised once and for all that I was born to be a leader and not to be led with unworthy men. In fact,  I take pride that I have worked with many less talented and less qualified people as a sign of humility and associating with the lowly as Scripture dictates. If they appreciate one's efforts, it's fine but often they acted shamelessly, as if they knew it all without consulting the pastor who has a PhD in the Bible and a law degree plus business experience to boot. 

Just one small example. It took us four months to put up our signage in front of our building. It was one of first decisions as I came on as pastor in Dec 2024 and after three months I enquired and had to put my foot down before it finally got down in April 2025, 4 months after the church council decision. Basically it involved negotiating with the owner of the building and it would be something easy for me as I used to negotiate with different parties all the time as a lawyer, as a pastor, serving in HQ and senior pastor of a couple churches previously. 

Now I realised how much energy and mind being cluttered waiting for others to do their jobs and not knowing something is done according to what has been decided. Even 2 weeks before I handed in my letter of resignation, I found I had to spend considerable energy talking to several leaders that decisions made in a church council could only be changed or amended in another church council meeting with good cause. No one whether Chairman or Treasurer could decide something unilaterally without a church council meeting if it has already been decided in a meeting. Now with my mind uncluttered, I am steaming ahead of my writing, a couple more chapters John 20-21 to go, but there is still a long way to go because revision could easily take another 2 months, proof-reading afterwards and printing will take at least another two months which takes it to a July finishing line, by the grace of God.