DAILY LIVING

Reading Time 2 mins 39 secs –  Are you wasting your time? I know. I’m not making friends by asking that question. But really, have you ever thought about how much time you’re wasting? There’s an Inc. article about how we all have enough time to read 200 books a year. Yep, that says 200. See, we say we’re busy, or we just don’t have enough time, or we wish we had more time. But there’s research to prove that’s not really the truth. Because, according to statistics, most of us are wasting a lot of time. In fact, stats show the average American spends more than two hours per day on social media and that on average , Americans watch three hours of television every single day. Of course, the point of writing this isn’t just to help you find time to read more books. I want to help you live your God-designed purpose. And you’ll never live your God-designed purpose, or enjoy the good life He has for you, until you understand the value of time and stop wasting it. Look at 2 Kings 4:1-7 with me. The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.” Now, what would you say is the most valuable thing in that story? I’ll give you a hint: It wasn’t the oil. It was time. Because if you could talk to that widow now and ask her what she would change if she could go back, I guarantee she would say she would have taken more time to gather more jars. More time. Looking at it now, knowing the opportunity, she would probably say, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll be back in a few days.” She would’ve taken more time to gather more jars. She would’ve loaded semi-trucks with jars. And she would’ve been recorded as being the wealthiest woman on the face of the earth. So many of us are like the widow—only understanding the value of time when we look back, when we’re confronted with our ticking clock, or when time runs out. Years ago, just before my grandpa died, I had a conversation with him. He said, “Where did my life go?” He was in his 90s. I didn’t get it then, but I do now. What he was saying was, “Pass me another jar!” But there were no jars left. Friend, time is valuable, and it can never be recovered. How are you spending yours? This is your time. This is your life. Ask God to show you how you should be spending your time right now. And if you haven’t already, ask Him to show you your purpose. Because when you know your purpose, you’ll have clarity and a sense of urgency. You won’t want to waste time. Today, take a hard look at how you’ve been spending your time. Clear the clutter and the distractions from your schedule and from your life. Make the uncomfortable decision to stop wasting your precious time. Change it now. The clock is ticking.