LIVING A PRODUCTIVE SPIRITUAL LIFE

“If we keep looking only at where our feet are going, we may walk off the cliff. We may miss a great opportunity. But if we can look up and look ahead, look forward, there’s a greater chance that we will live more productive lives.” – Buzz Aldrin.

What is a productive life?  A detailed answer would be that a productive life is about effectively and efficiently using your time and energy to achieve your goals and live a fulfilling life. It’s not just about working hard, but also about working intelligently and finding a balance between work, rest, and other essential aspects of life. Ultimately, a productive life is about making progress towards what matters most to you. But is it the same for Christians?

Experts will tell you that being busy does not always mean we are being productive. Productivity is about accomplishing our important tasks effectively and efficiently. So, productivity starts with recognizing what is important. Philippians 3:7-9 says, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”  Paul recognized that the most important thing was to follow Christ and become more like Him.

Secondly, we need to focus on what is important.“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:33). Knowing what is most important does us no good if we do not focus on it. Jesus explained that seeking the kingdom and the righteousness of God must be our highest priority. Thirdly, we need to prioritize our time on what is truly important. “Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” (Ephesians 5:16). To decide how to spend our time, we can ask the question: What is God asking me to do?

This is not to say that we cannot spend time with hobbies, recreation, or entertainment. It means we must plan our time based on what is most important because these things will not happen by accident. We need to be intentional about ensuring our activities reflect the right priorities.

Being a productive Christian is not about doing a lot of just anything; it is about doing the right things properly. We need to recognize what is essential and devote the attention, time, and energy necessary to please the Lord.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does it mean to be productive in the eyes of God? Is productivity solely about output, or does it also involve character, service, and spiritual growth? 
2. What are some common biblical examples of productive individuals, and what principles can we learn from their lives?