Time is Most Valuable.

I’ve been financially broke before. I’ve spent all my money but then had the opportunity to go make some more. I’ve also spent my time unwisely. But I could not get that time back. Time is important. You only have so much of it. The Apostle Paul knew that and said in Ephesians 5, “…be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity…Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.”

I find more and more, I do not have much margin in my life. I pack so much into every day, that there are times I never really sit down. I don’t want to miss anything so I really schedule the day, hoping to grind as much out of the day as possible. We have become an overloaded people. It seems to be the disease of our time.

But God didn’t create us to be stressed out, burned out and spent. We are limited creatures and when we understand that, we may find healthier ways to live into the life God has given us. Our time on earth is so valuable. The writer says in Psalms 39, “Remind me Lord that my life is a breath compared to you.” So because God has created us to live into His story, there are some important things to remember as we move into summer and beyond.

First, make God THE priority in your schedule. God wants to be more than part of your life—He wants to be your life. Jesus understood that and lived that everyday. During Jesus’ ministry, he was surrounded by turmoil, stress and anxious personalities but he was never spent. How did he do that? Mark 1:35 reveals it. At the front end of the day, Jesus spent time alone with God his Father. You and I would do well to follow his lead.

I mean, like Jesus, every single day, you have people coming to you. Whether you are a mom, dad, business leader or friend, there are people coming to you every day, just like folks come to Jesus for help. So, to gain wisdom and a quiet heart, find God at the front end of your day to ask for help and discernment during your day.

Also, learn to say “no” so you can say “yes” to the things that actually matter. We look at each other’s social media feeds and desire to do what everyone else is doing so we add that onto what we are already doing which leads to a massively packed day. Look, if you don’t align your spending with the money you are bringing in, you could end up broke. But if you don’t realign your time to what’s manageable, you will be broken.

Paul knew that in 1 Corinthians 10 when he said, “You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.” So learn to say “no”. It’s okay to create some boundaries for healthy living.

Finally, get the proper context for your life. We think we have more time than we actually do. Moses knew something about time. He wrote about it in Psalms 90 when he says about God, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” God owns everything, including time. And somewhere between our birthday and our death-day, we are living out our dash…our life.

So the call is to use time wisely. Every day, discover how you are intersecting in the story of God. Learn what it means to create margin in your life to connect with God. This summer, the Holy Spirit has an incredible story for you. Live in such a way that you don’t miss your connection with God. Blessings on the journey.

With all your soul.

Jesus calls us to love him with all our soul or Spirit in Mark 12:30-31. You and I have to create margins in our lives so we can hear the voice of God calling us into our purpose. In 2001, I had questions about whether or not I was truly following my calling. At a church camp in New Mexico that summer, I asked the difficult question of God to reveal to me explicitly that I was hearing him correctly. Was I following my calling to work with teens and parents in the local church? In fervent prayer and Bible study that week at camp, God revealed twice that I had heard him correctly. But I had to be intentional to hear.

In order to hear, we have to make room or margin in our calendars and days. How do you take time to allow yourself to hear God speak? When do you create margin in your day to listen to God’s voice washing over you? If you are having difficulty answering this question, give yourself some moments this week to reflect. You and I are called to make Jesus the most important thing in our lives. Give yourself permission to stop and create the space needed to hear the voice of God in your life.