Reason # 3 ... Lack of time

"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16

Time seems too short to accomplish all that we need to do. The clock seems to be our enemy. The day often ends before we finish. In addition, days, weeks, months, and years seem to go by faster each year. But in each day of our lives on earth, each of us is given an equal amount of time. No one gets more time in a day than anyone else does. The real issue is not quantity of time ... it is our stewardship of time. Jesus gave stern warnings about the stewardship of our gifts, Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-27. Time is one of His most valuable gifts. How are you doing with your stewardship of His gift of time? God has given you all the time you need to do all that He wants you to do. If you are too busy to do all He wants you to do, then you are too busy doing the wrong things ... or too busy doing nothing. Lack of time comes from your own bad priorities, someone else's bad priorities imposed on you, no priorities at all, or simple lack of discipline. Does your life match God's schedule for you?

Everyone seems to have enough time to do what he or she really wants to do ... time to follow his or her passions. Maybe you need to adjust your passions to match God's passion. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Have you? His food was to do the will of the Father. Is yours? We all have a considerable amount of discretionary time each year. If you sleep 8 hours a night and work 40 hours a week (job, school, raising kids, etc.), you will spend 33% of your year sleeping ... that's four months per year. You will also spend 22% of your year working ... a little more than 2 and 1/2 months. During the other 45% of your year you will be awake and not working ... almost 5 and 1/2 months ... about 3,920 hours. That equals ninety-eight 40-hour workweeks each year. That's the equivalent of two full-time jobs. It is the stewardship of those hours that is important. Consider the three types of time usage described below.

A. Little pieces of time add up. A few minutes given to routine activities each day are hardly noticed. However, they become significant when measured over a few months, years, or a lifetime. Two 10-minute coffee or tea breaks a day at work may be needed ... but added up over a year they total 2 full workweeks. A relaxing extra 10 minutes a day in the shower, bathtub, or bed may seem insignificant ... but by age 75 that adds up to six extra months in hot water or between the sheets. Why not insert two-10-minute prayer breaks into your daily schedule ... or pray as you have your coffee or tea. Pray for your friends who need Christ. That would add up to 120 hours of prayer each year. Or maybe you could pray for them during that daily extra 10 minutes in the shower, bathtub, or bed.

B. Wasted time is costly. Obviously, a reasonable amount of time given to relaxation and recreation is of great value. Everyone needs some downtime to stay productive in the uptime. However, many routinely waste significant amounts of time ... thoughtlessly throwing it away.

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