Having incredible time management skills may not seem like a super spiritual thing but I can assure you it’s a quality God rewards.
With a whole new year of adventure ahead of me, I’ve spent a lot of hours over the last month considering how I spend my time. It seems to be my worst enemy and yet I can’t get enough of it!
A constant lack of time has been a great cause of anxiety to me. I find that my sense of joy and happiness is far too dependent on my productivity levels. I’ve decided, however, that this year I am going to overcome this.
Although it seems somewhat secular, time management has proven a continual stumbling block for me in my faith walk. It wasn’t until recently that I realised why: God expects us to manage our time well.
Why should we manage our time?
- Your time is not yours, but rather God’s. People’s lives are not their own (Jeremiah 10:23). Your time belongs to God and you need to use it accordingly.
Our God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). Therefore, we should create order and structure in our schedules. The best news is that this brings peace!
- Your time is limited so use it wisely. Psalms 90:10 speaks of the fleetingness of our lives. We don’t have a lot of time to spare, which is why we must spend it wisely (Ephesians 5:15-16).
- You will be judged on how well you use the time you’re given. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells a parable of a man who had three servants. He gave five talents to the first, two to the second and one to the third before going away. The first two invested their talents and doubled their money, while the third buried his talent and did nothing with it.
When their master returned, he rewarded the first two and punished the last. They were judged according to how well they had used what they were given. Not only did the first two double their efforts, but they were richly rewarded.
So shall it be for you if you invest your time wisely. Don’t let it go to waste like the third servant did his talent.
- Effectively managing your time helps you fulfil your purpose. Before Jesus’ death, he said these words: “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.” (John 17:4)
We too can glorify God by finishing the work He gave us to do. But not if we never make time for it. Not if we continue to let it get put off.
Did you know that we will do even greater works than Jesus (John 14:12)? You were made to be great. Don’t put your greatness off until tomorrow.
What does it mean to use our time wisely?
When I left my job in July with no idea where God was leading me, I took the time to connect with Him on a deeper level. I worked my way through Connecting with God by Christopher B.Adsit.
One of the chapters is called The Time Connection. In this chapter, Adsit explains the answer to this question and it’s quite simple: you need to align your priorities with God’s.
God has been telling His people what’s important to Him for years. In the Old Testament, He gave the Israelites the Law of Moses, outlining the qualities and behaviours He valued. In the New Testament, Jesus gave us the two greatest commandments that would cover everything in the previous law (Matthew 22:37-40).
If you live according to God’s commandments, according to His values, you will be living out your time wisely.
So, you see, there is such a thing as faithful time-management. It’s not just some fad that everyone’s doing to try to fit more into their already busy schedules. It’s also a way to honour God and bring glory to Him.
Do you struggle to see the link between your faith and time management? Are you ready to be more effective for God? Wherever you’re at in your journey, I’d love to be praying for you.
Please leave a comment below with your prayer requests or words of encouragement. And don’t forget to tune in to tomorrow’s post for practical tips on faithful time management. I’m looking forward to what God’s going to teach us!
Breakthrough 