As promised, here is Part 2 🙂
If you haven’t read It’s Not Our Time Part 1, it might be helpful to start there as some of the ideas stated are referenced in this post.
I’ve Already Wasted So Much Time
When I look back over the past couple years, I’ve found some activities that I wonder if I should have given up sooner. Or unnecessary time spent on Social Media. Or a fun activity night where I had a blast with my friends but didn’t notice the lonely girl on the sidelines until it was too late to reach out. How easily I can get sucked into spending my time for me (aka, selfishly).
There were so many other things I could have and should have been doing. Did I waste those moments? Are they lost forever? I should just stuff them in the closet of guilt and move onward with the resolve to never waste time again, right? But I always seem to come back with something else to shove in that closet.
Sounds pretty grim, huh. Well, let me tell you, friend, that time may seem wasted from a quick glance.
The enemy does use things like social media as a distraction in our service to God. The enemy wants us to waste away the minutes so there’s no time left for God. Instead of waking to open His Word, our first priority is to open our browser to check Facebook. Then we see we have an email, and when we’re done reading that, we really have to get out of bed or we’ll be late. Then a family member wants to chat and by the time breakfast burns we’re running out our doors for work, school, activities and we haven’t even given God the time He deserves.
So we resolve to never let it happen again. But it does. And we’re making many trips to that closet of guilt. Soon the closet overflows and we realize we’ve got a messy situation. When we are made aware of the enemy’s distractions and how we fall for them, his favorite tactic is to make us think those moments are forever wasted and weren’t used for the Lord.
But, with a second look, God hasn’t let that time be wasted. See, He’s got this great characteristic that I don’t posses. He is sovereign. Basically meaning He has complete power.
Everything done in the space of what we know as time will at the end of time, cause all things to bring Him glory.
In the small spectrum of things, when I look back over all that “wasted time”, I can see He was growing me. Turning my messes into His moments. It doesn’t surprise Him that I’m a selfish human. Once I realize my depravity, I can do as David did in Psalm 139 asking, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
God used that “wasted time” to continue prodding the selfishness from my heart. And that is not a waste of time at all.
Don’t be discouraged by moments that to us, feel wasted. Discouragement is not of the Lord. It is of the enemy. God longs to use our messes to bring about a fuller dependance on Him. And when we mess up, He is always there to forgive a truly repentant heart.
So let’s go back to our closets. Time for a spring cleaning, friend. Let His grace, wash your guilt away.
How to Know I’m Spending The Time Wisely
Okay, after all these thoughts about who we are in the Lord being the foundation of what we do and how to deal with “wasted time”, here’s a few thoughts passed to me by some dear friends and mentors. Usually during the time I was asking them what I should be doing with my life. How do I know I’m wisely investing my time?
Pray
I’m going to state the obvious, because sometimes it’s the obvious things that are the easiest to overlook. The more I pray, the more I see God at work in my life. If you want His answers, ask Him. He’ll tell you what to do.
Seek Advice
The Bible speaks often of seeking wise counsel. Go to the godly mentors in your life and ask them if they see you spending your time wisely in a God glorifying way. (Parents are the best place to start. :)) Ask them if they’ve observed any “distractions” or “pleasures” you’ve given time to that should be given instead to a priority…
Setting Our Priorities Straight
More than ever, this season of my life has been a lot about waiting, resting and trusting. And being okay with the unknown. I expect much of life to be like this. Because we were meant to be dependant upon an all knowing God.
Since He knows how best to use His creation of time, give Him the time He deserves. Our number one priority should be to spend the time, getting to know Him, and praise Him, and stand in awe of the God who longs for us to spend eternity with Him.
Because when time shall be no more, that is all that will matter.
Do you have a special time and place you like to spend alone with God? Mornings or evenings? In your favorite chair? How about in an Attic? 🙂
Rolena Weber 