If you have ever seen time management experts in the workplace, you would know their mission is to plan and control how much time to spend on specific activities. They stress that planning goals and setting priorities is vital because your time is your life —whatever controls your time, controls your life.
You are sure to have moments when you feel like you just can't fit everything in. Whether you are in the workplace, studying or at home, there is always so much to do and limited time! We all want to make the best use of our time so we accomplish the things that are the most important. As Christians approaching the topic of time management, the source of what we see as important is different, because our source is God.
God created time, and gave us all our days —He was there. before time even existed!
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day."
2 Peter 3:8 NIV
God is unrestricted and uncontrolled by time as we are but we have been gifted with a specific period of time, so we need to use our days wisely:
"Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Psalms 90:12 NIV
This verse makes us realise how important it is to set priorities. Christian time management is all about using time as God desires us to use it. How do we know His desires? We have His Word!
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus told His disciples,
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:33 NIV
Making God our number one priority, is the most important thing we can do. The Kingdom of God is His perfect government that will bring peace to our earth when Jesus returns. We must be preparing for that time now. Seeking God's righteousness is endeavouring to live the right way, being mindful to obey His laws that are based on His love.
When we seek God as our most important priority, the other things we need and want will be added to us as well! Putting the pursuit of wealth and other things as equal to or higher priority than seeking God's Kingdom may seem to go okay for a time but eventually we will miss out on obtaining either one!
We see the importance of putting God first in the story of two sisters, Mary and Martha, who were friends of Jesus. When He came to their home for a visit, their approach to wanted to Him was quite different:
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.""
Luke 10:38-42 NIV
Martha wanted to work while Mary wanted to listen to Jesus! Serving others is certainly important and necessary but we see in this situation, listening to Jesus' teachings was more important than food preparation! Priorities are so important!
We will continue to look at this topic of priorities and time management in future chapters but I just wanted us to make sure our first priority was in place, as seeking God first in our lives, is definitely going to impact our health and wholeness in a good way!
Challenge: Look at your current day to day schedule. What is taking up your time? What are your current priorities? Write them down.
Ponder: Are you putting your personal relationship with God as your first priority or allowing other aspects of your life to crowd Him out?
Pray:
Heavenly Father,
It is such a privilege to sit at Your feet and learn from You as I read Your Word each day. There are so many pressing things in my life that I admit I often get things in the wrong order! I also admit to sometimes wasting the time You have given me, pursuing things that are not necessary.
Please help me to take an honest look at my priorities and to bring them into line with Your Word. I want to honour You above everything else, by seeking Your Kingdom and righteousness first. Guide me so that I can clearly see what my priorities should be for today. Help me to read Your Word so I can see how You want me to use my time.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
Psalms 119:105 NIV
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Health & Wholeness - A Christian Devotional
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