The Lord holds the times and the seasons, and He has placed each of us on this earth at this time for His purpose and pleasure. If we are going to be effective in the Kingdom of God and have satisfaction in life, we all need to be in tune with the Lord and understand His will for the season we are in. We are also called to steward our time well and use it wisely. We cannot earn more time, but we can squander it if we are not intentional with it.
Times and Seasons
And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, Acts 17:26
God has placed us here for a particular time in history and according to His divine timetable. Wishing that we lived in another era or a different season is a waste of time and does not produce any good fruit. The Lord knows we are capable of handling the times we are living in. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness (See 2 peter 1:3), and by His grace, we continue to grow in courage and strength to be valiant in the Kingdom and hopeful for the future.
Time Stealers
Using our time wisely on this earth has spiritual and practical ramifications in our lives as well as others. To be effective with our time, we first need to pay attention to the things that are time-stealers. If our culture has mastered anything it is distraction! With the widespread use of smartphones along with the expansion of social media, online streaming, and podcasts we have plenty of avenues to get distracted. We are bombarded with notifications, alerts, reminders, and messages continually. There is so much information and so little time to consume everything that it compels people to be on their devices for countless hours and ensure they are not missing out on anything.
The various platforms are designed to encourage us to stay online, so they can make more money through advertising. The CEO of Netflix commented when asked about their biggest competitors commented as follows:
These systems are developed to keep us hooked on them even if it means we lose sleep over them. The recent trend in binge watching and staying up late to finish a movie is not really people’s idea but it is part of the design of these systems. Furthermore, the 24/7 news media continue to spew their biased opinions by sensationalizing information in order to keep their audience hooked on their information. All the voices around us cry out for our attention telling us that their message/agenda is urgent, and if we don’t pay attention to it, we will miss out on something important. But what about God’s agenda for our lives!? What are we missing out on when we are so distracted by all these voices!?
It is our responsibility to place a limit on ourselves and not allow to be manipulated by these systems. I encourage you to turn on “Screen Time” on your smartphones and find out how much time you are spending on your devices. Then make a decision to limit it. I get a report on a weekly basis that shows me the number of hours and the categories where I spent my time. The Lord has a far more important plan and agenda for the use of our time than being distracted by all these voices.
Time Commitments
Furthermore, we need to evaluate our commitments and ensure that they are aligned with God’s purpose and timing for the season we are in. If the Lord has been leading you to make changes to your commitments, be sure to listen to it. Prayerfully seek the scriptures, get Godly counsel, and then act on it with His leading and timing. We cannot afford to be on standstill in life for the sake of being comfortable. On the other hand, we cannot just change directions or commitments because we are bored or somebody offended us. We need to seek the mind of Christ and be in tune with His timing in our lives.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17
Use the Gift of Time Wisely
We need to look around us, be aware of needs, and understand what the Lord wants us to be involved with. There are people whom we need to reach for Christ and the timing is important. There are also people who need our prayers and encouragement. If the Lord directs us to call someone or to meet with them, we should be timely with His leading. We shouldn’t wait until we feel like it. Time is of the essence. God knows what is going on and we need to trust Him with His timing and direction.
The parable of the wise virgins and the foolish ones has bothered me because it can happen to any well-meaning Christian. Any believer can be susceptible to lose God’s vision and fall into a spiritual slumber and cruise control (See Matthew 25:1-13). It is easy to think that we have plenty of time and stop being watchful. The parable of the virgins is a reminder that we need to remain vigilant, expectant, and intentional.
Praise God for the gift of time on this earth and for eternity with Him forever. Let’s recognize that this time is given to us as a gift, and let’s use it for His glory and purpose on the earth. The Lord has preappointed us to be alive in 21st Century and in 2021, and He wants to do something in us and through us. Praise Him!