Thinking. When is the last time we really did it? I mean get away without interruption to spend some time pondering God, ministry, our calling, and how we could be doing things differently?

This kind of thinking requires not only our full attention, but also a commitment to try to see things differently than we normally do. It requires a willingness to admit maybe we’re wrong about some things. William James said, “Many people who think they are thinking are really just rearranging their prejudices.”

Consider: To what degree are you willing to question your own assumptions? To what degree are you willing to acknowledge that maybe the methods you’ve been using aren’t the most effective? This frame of mind is what leads to the biggest breakthroughs… whether they’re in science, engineering, art, or ministry.

As Henry Ford said: “Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is why so few people do it.”