TIME MANAGEMENT

Do you wish you had more time on your hands? Have you ever wondered where your time had gone at the end of a typical day? What if each day has twenty five hours instead? Or if each week is upsized to ten days?

Perhaps the greatest illusion with which we deceive ourselves is believing that our time belongs to us. We are free to spend our time in whatever way we like. But God has given us all the same amount of time, twenty four hours per day, seven days per week. Time is a precious gift from our heavenly Father. Since we are called to be stewards of God's gifts to us (Matthew 25:14-30), we must learn how to use or manage our time effectively to glorify God. Let us examine two guiding principles from the Scriptures.

Our time on earth is very short.

Our lives are like a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14). Additionally, our days are like handbreadths and our ages are nothing before God (Psalm 39:5). We may prolong our lifespans by staying fit and healthy or by adhering to God's statutes and commandments (Deuteronomy 4:40), but there is no sure way to know when we will die.

How we use our time on earth will determine how we will spend eternity.

As God has appointed a day of judgment for mankind (Hebrews 9:27), we must give an account of what we have done (Romans 14:12). Are we using our time to pursue  physical things like education, career, wealth, or entertainment? Or are we using our time to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21)? I am not saying that physical things or "me time" are not important, but that they should not be our focus in life. Rather, we should prioritise spending time on spiritual things like serving God, studying His Word, participating in Church activities, evangelising to our community, helping the poor, building brethren up, etc.

On the flip side, we must also not be lazy (Proverbs 6:6-11), such that we have too much free time. The lazy man desires but has nothing (Proverbs 13:4). The one-talent servant did not use his talent to gain more talents like his fellow servants did (Matthew 25:14-30). Since every hour of our time is an opportunity, let us put our time into good use for our Lord. In whatever we do, we are called to do it heartily as to the Lord (Colossians 3:23).

Plan Your Time!

The key to managing our time well is to plan our time beforehand. As the common saying goes: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Let us consider the following questions:

1. What tasks must I complete or complete a portion of today?

2. Between what times of the day and how much time should I spend on each task?

3. Are these tasks considered physical or spiritual?

Similar to school bells, you can use an alarm if you find it difficult to stick to your plan or timetable. Plan by hours if half-hours or fifteen minutes may be too short. Prioritise fixed timings every day to spend an hour (or more) reading and studying the Bible, praying, or on any other spiritual task.

Conclusion

Our time does not belong to us but to God. We must strike a balance between spending our given time on physical and spiritual tasks, but priority must be given to spiritual tasks. By planning each day and its corresponding tasks, we can strive to use our time effectively to glorify God. Let us walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Ask Yourself:

1. Why should we pursue spiritual things rather than physical?

2. what other methods can we use to plan our time besides using a timetable?

Suggested Answers:

1. We pursue after spiritual things so that we can lay up treasures in heaven.

2. You may discuss this with any mature brethren.