It's About Time

I've been thinking a lot about time lately - how we choose to spend our time, how time reflects our priorities, and how much of it we waste.  All of us experience life events which remind us that life is a vapor (James 4:14) and we don't know how much time we have on the earth, and many times this temporarily motivates us to make the time we do have profitable, but we so quickly seem to forget.  Time is a valuable commodity and the way we spend our time reflects the goals and priorities of our hearts.  I think that it's important to keep in mind that our time is really not ours to spend, but rather it belongs to God, the giver of all things.

When I was at TMC I read a really good book called "Shopping for Time" by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughters (and they have an awesome blog too, check it out, you'll be encouraged).  They make the point that we often don't treat the time that God has given us with intention or purpose.  It challenges us to plan how we use our time to make the best use of it, bringing God glory.  It also talks about the need to discern the best opportunities life has to offer and make them our priorities.  I discipled a couple of girls in Missouri and as a part of a book study we were doing I had them memorize this little saying: Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better best!  Many times it's the good things that distract us from the best things.  Planning and discerning how to best spend your time requires a great deal of discipline, exercised in reliance upon God's grace.

2 Corinthians 4:18 says "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal."  What are your eyes fixed on today?  It's so easy to get so caught up in "life" that we cease to live for what's important, for things that will make a lasting impact.  Think about some ways that you can be purposeful in loving and serving others, sharing the gospel, prioritizing time in the Word, talking about spiritual things when spending time with friends, spending more time in prayer, granting the forgiveness we've been given to others, growing in grace and holiness.  What are you doing to cultivate an eternal mindset when it comes to spending your time?

"Now Lord, I would be yours alone and live so all might see 

the strength to follow your commands could never come from me.  

Oh Father use my ransomed life in any way you choose, 

and let my song forever be my only boast is you."