Making Wise Use Of Your Time

“So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honorably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes.” ― Ephesians 5:15-16 (TPT) 

Effective management requires effective measurement. A person who has no idea how much money he has earned, and spends can make no claim to managing his finances. If expenditures exceed reserves plus earnings, the ledger is in the red regardless of the amount of earnings. Time is much the same. We cannot spend more than we have and we can make no claim to managing it if we don’t keep track of how we spend it. Unlike money, we can’t make more of it.  

It is pretty hard to have a real sense of time. If you set a timer for 30 minutes and then went about your business (without looking at a watch or clock) how close would you be to guessing when the 30 minutes are up? The average person does not come very close. 

The amount of time that may be measured out in your life is not nearly as important as how you use the time you have. Every person has a fixed allotment of time, but no one knows when his allotment is up. That is why you had better make the most of every moment.The Apostle Paul urged people to take advantage of every day because life at its longest is really short. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

The King James Version of Ephesians 5:16 uses the words “redeeming the time.”   In Biblical times, when a slave was redeemed: he was bought at a price, paid in full, and set free. It’s a striking picture of what Jesus did for each one of us. He bought us for a price, His blood, set us free. He redeemed each of us.  And this is the language Paul uses in relation to time: Redeem it and use it for a completely new purpose.  So much out of our time is out of our control, however. We’re stuck in traffic, or waiting in line at the DMV, or waiting in a conference room for a business meeting to start. Time is often our boss and not always a good boss.  

We redeem it by praying while waiting for the light on 98. Spend the time at the DMV memorizing that passage of scripture you have on your to-do list. Spending a few minutes talking to God when you are sitting alone in the conference room. When circumstances arise, ask God how you might, there and then, redeem the time.  

Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” God longs to teach us how to use our days wisely. He longs to give us a heart of wisdom that we might center our lives around Him.  

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we make the most of our time? What kind of activities redeem the time?
2. What can we do this week to make better use of our time?