Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End” (Revelation 22:13). Jesus Christ is not only the beginning and the end, but he is also everything else in between. The apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21, NIV) and “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” (Colossians 3:2). We are to live for him, glorify him, and finish the work he has given us to do. So here is my question for you: Are you actually living your life with this purpose?
My Days Are Numbered!
Every person on earth is given twenty-four hours each day, with sixty minutes in every hour. God allows each one of us to choose what we want to do with those minutes and hours. Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (NIV). Because of our relationship with our heavenly Father, we can count on him to give us the wisdom to use our days wisely.
Our relationship with Christ determines where we will live in eternity. Our use of time, talent, and treasure determines the rewards and position we will have in eternity. The moment we die our perishable time, talent, and treasure of this world lose their value. If we have invested them in only things that perish, we will end up with nothing of value in heaven. If we have invested them in the things close to God’s heart, such as helping to fulfill the Great Commission and being the hands and feet of Jesus in this world, then we will have treasure stored for us in heaven.
Son Power and Time
When you think about it, time is the most equalized resource available to us. Some people may have more talent, and some may have more treasure, but we all have the same twenty-four hours in each day. It is natural to look at that time as a resource to be used for oneself, but as we learn to partner in life with God, we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in the use of our time to fulfill God’s purposes. The question is: Are you expecting and allowing God to maximize your time through Son Power? God can use even the smallest portion of your time to make a difference for his kingdom.
The Bible tells us:
Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days.
—Ephesians 5:16, emphasis added
How can we make the most of every opportunity when it comes to the use of our time? Here are some questions to ask yourself as you consider the use of your time:
Perspective
- Am I using my time as my own or as a resource entrusted to me by God to be used wisely for his purposes?
The overall perspective that we have of our time is critical. Our time has been given to us by God—all of it. As we embrace this important principle, we need to evaluate how sensitive we are to the Spirit’s direction in our daily lives in using our time. Are you using your time wisely? Are you using it as a resource to accomplish God’s purposes? Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom as to the use of your time?
When our time is infused with Son Power we will find the Holy Spirit giving us wisdom and discernment as he directs our decisions about how to schedule our time. As we continue to follow his leading, we will become sensitive throughout the day as to where and when God is calling us to change direction and when he is reassuring us to persevere with our time commitments.
Priorities
- Am I focused on the right goals and objectives when it comes to the use of my time?
I find that when I ask people about this, they have often never even considered it! What if you let the Holy Spirit guide you through your time commitments? What if his supernatural strength and wisdom and discernment allowed you to accomplish the right things at the right time? What if you allowed him to guide you to actually give up some of your time commitments? God has the ability to bring things into our lives that he wants dealt with, and he has the ability to rearrange our schedules, when we allow the Holy Spirit free access. We often view these types of situations as “interruptions,” but they are in reality “divine appointments!”
Dependence on Son Power
- In what ways am I expecting the Holy Spirit to maximize my time by his provision and protection?
The Holy Spirit is the great provider of strength and wisdom. When you are feeling overwhelmed, you can depend on the the Holy Spirit to help you with your time management and time commitments.
I have actually found that the Holy Spirit can provide me with more available time by intervening on my behalf so what I need to do takes less time. I have also discovered that the Holy Spirit can give divine flashes of insight that reveal steps to be taken, obstacles to be removed, or resources to be used to make things go faster. The Holy Spirit can also direct people to come alongside me to take on some of my work or responsibilities. Finally, the Holy Spirit can orchestrate events and circumstances that create a favorable environment for accomplishment.
The Holy Spirit can also protect us from distractions that absorb time. He can expose the thoughts and desires that get us off track and break our concentration on what God wants us to be doing (see Philippians 3:13–14). He can also guard us from the schemes of Satan who often uses other people to draw us away from what God wants us to be doing (see Nehemiah 6:1–16). Finally, the Holy Spirit can protect us from personal crises that require immediate attention such as health issues, financial problems, or relational tensions that ultimately take our attention away from the things that God wants us to accomplish.
As you stay in tune with the Spirit’s leading, he will keep the current of Son Power moving through you. Look for God to use your time in a supernatural way as you trust in the Holy Spirit’s intervention in you as you pursue God’s purposes in the use of your time.
In what ways do you need to let the Holy Spirit direct you in the use of your time?
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