Do you ever feel that you have more responsibilities than time in which to perform them? Actually, I don’t know of anyone who doesn’t feel that way! Thankfully, God has given us a resource to help us make decisions concerning our time. It’s called wisdom! This is why when God commands us to redeem the time, He tells us, “Be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17).
In my own life, I have realized that the choice between good, better, and best in relation to my time really boils down to one thing—discerning the will of God for my life at that moment.
Below are five truths that have been a help to me in allocating God’s wisdom as I try to steward my time for His glory!
What God Has Given Me Is Sustainable
It isn’t God’s nature to give us more responsibilities than grace. He doesn’t give us more to do than we can get done in the time He has provided.
An Opportunity Does Not Equal an Obligation
More opportunities present themselves to us than we are physically able to accomplish! Only wisdom can help us separate between the good, better, and best. If we fail to make the distinction, however, we will find ourselves overburdened and underequipped. What God gives us is sustainable. What we put on ourselves may be unbearable.
I Must Identify and Focus on the Most Important Things
Every opportunity looks important at the moment it presents itself, but living with an eternal perspective will help us sort out what matters most. We must learn to distinguish between the trivial and the truly important. Sometimes it is helpful to ask: “What is going to matter when I stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ?” It has been said that great leaders attribute their success, not to things they said “yes” to, but to the things they didn’t do.
Tarrying Times Are Not Idle Times
We like to see immediate results. But there are seasons when all we can do is wait on the Lord. Contrary to our busy natures, waiting on God is good use of our time. These seasons allow us to sense His purposes for our lives, and it equips us to serve with His power (Isaiah 40:31).
I Will Center My Time on the Main Thing God Has Called Me to Do
There are some things that only I can do. For instance, nobody else can fulfill the husband/father needs of my wife and children. Regardless of any other life achievements I may make, if I neglect these responsibilities, I have failed… and my family members are the ones who will suffer. The same could be said for other areas of my calling. God has called me to be the senior pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church. As the pastor, there are some things that I am responsible to do—preparing spiritually nourishing sermons, for example. If I spend my time doing what many others could do, to the neglect of my primary call, I’ll miss the purpose God has given to me. In your case, the main thing that God has called you to do may not be to pastor. But whatever it is, you must identify it and then center your time around it.
Time is an incredible resource from God, and I’m thankful that God freely gives His wisdom (James 1:5) to help us best use the time He has given to us for His glory.