I thank God for the gift of time. God gives an equal amount of time to everyone every day--24 hours or 1,440 minutes. No one gets more, no one gets less. God's fairness and common grace are evidenced by the gift of time.
Now, how to manage that gift of time is up to each person. The Psalmist prayed, "Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). The logical assumption behind this prayer is that (1) left on our own, we are predisposed to waste time, and (2) we need to learn to become wise stewards of time. The Bible teaches that we have a finite time here on earth. No one knows for sure exactly when our time will run out, but we all know it eventually will. Death, the finish line, is universally applicable to every living creature. Hence, given that we will run out of time sooner or later, and since each person will stand before God to give his/her account, it makes sense to wisely manage time for His glory and pleasure. So, how can we manage our time well? I think we can figure that out by considering what wasting time or unwise time management looks like: hours (or days!) spent on playing games, binge-watching, procrastinating, living aimlessly, engaging in activities that are harmful or displeasing to God, etc. Hence, if you minimize or stop wasting time, you'll be on track to managing time wisely. Parenthetically, doing anything in excess is usually the result of poor time management. Indecision and inaction can also be the result of poor time management. You cannot make the most of your time without deep reflection and planning--it takes time to better manage time. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is an appropriate time for everything. There is time to play as well as time to work. There is time to cry as well as time to laugh. You see, the key is knowing the right time to do the right thing. So, do you know what time it is, or what you ought to be doing now? Try asking the following question throughout the year: "God, is this the right time for me to do _________?" You can fill in the blank with tasks, projects, activities, etc. Also, ask, "God, what should I be doing for Your glory?" The Holy Spirit will guide and help you to do the right thing at the right time I'm certain. So, give it a try! God bless you to live each day wisely and purposefully for His glory and honor.
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