Linking up with #fiveminutefriday today. Five minutes of uninterrupted writing...no editing. No overthinking. Just write! Today's word is: MORE.
I constantly feel like I need MORE TIME.
More time with my grandma who suffers from Alzheimer's.
More time with my ex-husband who abruptly left our marriage and ministry.
More time with family. More time with friends. With community.
More time for prayer and delving deeper into God's Word.
More time for walking, exercising, cooking healthy meals, shopping for sales.
More time for sleeping. For napping. For relaxing my mind.
There just isn't enough time! So how can I get MORE?
In the late 90s I traveled with a choir from my church youth group. We went to a church down South somewhere with a huge banner hanging over us. In ominous, bold letters was this verse:
Ephesians 5:16- REDEEMING THE TIME BECAUSE THE DAYS ARE EVIL. (KJV)
I didn't consider the time part much, but I remember I feeling a sense of fear after staring at this verse all evening. The days are evil? What am I supposed to do with the time?
Different translations of Ephesians 5:16 shed some light on how to redeem our time:
Making the best use of time because the days are evil. (ESV)
Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times! (The Message)
Making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. (NIV)
Unfortunately, I cannot get more time, but I can take advantage of the time I already have!
Be intentional about your time. Say no when you have to. Prioritize the opportunities over the time stealers.
My small group is reading None Like Him: 10 Ways God is Different From Us. Chapter 8 is all about God's omniscience. The author, Jen Wilkin, challenges us to ask ourselves the right questions when it comes to how we spend our time:
1. Will the time and and attention I give to this make me more like Christ?
2. Will it make me better able to serve God and serve others?
I would add the questions:
Will spending my time this way contribute to God's overall plan to make me more of who I really am in Him?
Since I'm never going to have more time in the day, how can I be intentional about the things I do spend time on?
Does anyone remember on Saved By the Bell when Zack Morris would take time outs? He would pause time just to think something through, or stare at Kelly, or come up with a sneaky plan? I want that power! I want to be able to slow things down. Take my time. Savor God's daily plans.
This is truly possible if we intentionally use our more wisely. More deliberately. More constructively. More lovingly. After all, the days truly are evil and after Jesus returns there will be nothing BUT more time! Eternal time. Perfect Jesus time! Amen!
Check out the other great writings on the word "More" at: http://katemotaung.com/
If you want to read more about how I'm attempting to find time for what is important in 2017- check out this post from January: To the Resolution Resistant: One Great Goal