“Make every minute count.” Ephesians 5:16 CEV
“Everything that you use or lose can be replaced, except for time.”
My thoughts today are about “time well spent.”
About everything that you use or lose can be replaced, except for time. Time is an incredibly valuable commodity, irreplaceable really. Because there seems to be so much of it, you may not value time as you should or use it as wisely as you could. But is there so much time that you have plenty, and to spare? You cannot know how much time you will have, and to live as though you have all the time in the world is presuming upon the future.
James’ counsel was that you are not to assume anything about tomorrow “because you do not know what a day will bring.” James 4:14. The Psalmist prayed, “Teach us to number our days, that we might apply our hearts to wisdom.” Psalm 90:12. Your goal should be to prize each hour and day granted to you, and to use time wisely and invest it fully in matters of Kingdom priorities and eternal realities.
Here’s some practical advice to “make every minute count:”
(1) Just say no, to things (or people) that waste your time, so that you have opportunity to say yes to the best investment of your time to do God’s will, care for your responsibilities, and be helpful to others – to serve God well. You will feel stress when you commit to more than you can accomplish in the available time. Jesus could confidently say, “I have finished the work that (Father) gave Me to do.” John 17:4. Jesus knew what was eternally important. I want my life to be focused on what matters most.
(2) Put off procrastination. You can always do that later! Putting off things that must be done, and could be done now, wastes time presently and inevitably takes more time later. An evidence of personal and spiritual maturity is doing what you don’t feel like doing when you don’t feel like doing it, just because it is what you should do. Jesus said, “I do always those things that please the Father.” John 8:29. Obeying God promptly and fully in your everyday life is time best spent.
(3) Take time to be holy. “You cannot be fruitful unless you abide in Me,” Jesus taught. John 15:4. Keep in touch daily with the One Who can guide your life and direct your steps. See Proverbs 3:5-6. Time spent doing so is well spent, making every other minute more effective.
Jesus taught that if you “seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness, all these other things will be provided for you.” Matthew 6:33. When Jesus is first, everything else that should fit, does. When He is not, nothing works as well as it could.
My prayer for you today is to establish priorities in your personal and spiritual life.