Using Our Time Wisely

This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:14-16

“Do not squander time, for it is the stuff life is made of.” Benjamin Franklin

 

  • The most important part of your day is upon you. Make it count!  Grab your Bible, a journal, a pen, and a mug of something yummy.  Come with an expectant heart.  Every day the Lord has something to teach us; we need only to sit at His feet and listen.
  • Read Ephesians 5:14-16. Write verse 15 on an index card and read it throughout the day. Commit it to memory.

The New Year is well underway, how are you feeling mama? Overwhelmed and stressed? Or have you already been conquering this year with new goals and extra productivity? Today, I would like to address the topic of time. Remember that every minute of every day is either wasted or wisely invested. There is no in-between or gray area. That statement has been very definitive for me over the last few months. I have learned that the Lord cares deeply about who and what we invest our time in.

God created time and gave it to us to be good stewards. If we don’t wisely use our time, we will find we have little left over to do what is important and meaningful. Time is a precious gift, and we each have a responsibility for how we spend the time God has given us. We should all echo Moses’ prayer to God in Psalm 90:12 as he cries out, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” In my life, I can recall seasons where I was spread too thin and the busyness I had created caused my home to suffer. Enjoying a peaceful home is just one of the benefits of re-evaluating how we spend our time.

If we use our time inappropriately or ineffectively, that time is lost forever and cannot be reclaimed. The time that is used unwisely reveals our weaknesses and also reveals what is truly important to us. After all, we always make time for what we enjoy doing the most! Shouldn’t we wisely make it a priority to plan how we spend our time? We should all be asking ourselves if and how we can manage our time better and use it more judiciously, but this is no easy task. It doesn’t just happen automatically! Here are three guidelines regarding our priorities:

  • Set Priorities: Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.” In essence, we either set our life priorities or allow circumstances and other people to set them for us. Making a list and setting the priorities and/or goals that matter to you is the first critical step.
  • Schedule Priorities: Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 (NASB) warns, “For a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight.” Our top priority every single day must be spending time in God’s Word and in prayer. Doesn’t God deserve our very best?
  • Stick to Priorities: We already read in Ephesians 5:16, to make the most of every opportunity.  Every challenge we face will either affirm or destroy our priorities. Right priorities will stand firm in the face of change. You will know in your heart if an activity or time commitment is good for your family. If it is good, then stick with it. A common struggle is to give up or become fearful of a commitment. If something is healthy and a great opportunity, then we should jump in and stick to it.

Precious mamas, I encourage and invite you to examine your family’s time. Initiate schedule changes that honor God. Commit this year to invest your time wisely and pray for God’s wisdom to live a balanced life.

Love and Blessings,

Rachel

Questions to Ponder

Are you feeling convicted right now? How and why? If you answered yes, that is great. This is a challenging subject for me personally, and I have and will continue to learn right alongside you. I would also like to add that the Lord has pressed upon my heart for everyone reading this not to feel bad about themselves or compare how their time is spent to that of their friends. We all have our own puzzles, and the Lord knows exactly where we are and how we need to grow.

Faith-Filled Idea

Carve out an hour or two after the kids go to bed this week to seek the Lord in prayer regarding your time. Pray specifically for the year ahead regarding the activities and relationships in which your family is going to invest. Write out some family goals and a few personal goals. Also, pray about a specific goal or focus for each one of your children this year. Do this with your husband or on your own and then share your ideas with him afterward. It is critical that the two of you are on the same page.

Workers 6

 

Rachel Jones
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8 Comments on “Using Our Time Wisely”

  1. I love the encouragement to spend some solitary time praying and seeking God- his plan for my day and our family! I am an introvert and savor quiet, still time in God’s Word . However, sometimes I can feel guilty filling up but then I am better able to pour out when I’m filled up!

    1. I am so glad you were encouraged. My husband is also an introvert and that time is so very special and important to him! As an extrovert, it is harder for me to quiet myself. Praise the Lord Jesus is patient with me.?

  2. I’ve been micro bullet journaling to see how I spend my day and it’s helped me to focus. This might stress people out, but for me, it’s helped me to not goof off as much because I’m not jumping from one thing to the next. I say to myself, “Oh, I’m focusing on this one thing for 15 minutes, I can wait a little longer to do something else” and this includes spending time with the Lord.

    1. I love that idea. It is incredible how many 15 min chunks of time can appear in our day when we are focused and intentional. ?

  3. Great study. This is something I’m working on- letting the unimportant things fall away so I can focus on what calling is calling me to do.

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