Time: A Gift from God

Thanks for joining me on my life journey, even if my posts are inconsistent, at the moment, anyway. And so, my life continues.

In my last post, I talked about how it's important to find rest and refocus on God, and for this post, I want to encourage you that time is a gift from God that's to be treasured.

I came to this a renewed realization a couple weeks ago or so, that time is a gift. I was thinking about how I kept desiring to find time, more time for God, for my friendships, and how to handle or juggle all the things that were happening in just the first four months of 2023. And the Lord revealed to me that we all have the same 24 hours. The question is: What are we doing with it? 

And, I realized, time is lost on social media, on mindless scrolling, on shows and movies, on all these things that are not productive or edifying. Well, that's how we rest, right? That's definitely how the world rests, but what if your rest was in the Lord, during your time with God in His Word, in worship, in prayer? Again, I'm reminded that Matthew 28 says, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ‘you will find rest for your souls.’ For my yoke is easy and My burden is light” (vv. 28–30). With the perspective that I now rest in the Lord, I've found that I actually do have time for everything else going on in my life, whether that's maintaining my friendships, going to work, helping in various ministries, spending time with my family, and, if you know me, shocker, I even have time to sleep.

What I've noticed and what God has shown me is that I don't need to find rest in the things of this world; sure, it's important to sometimes just ... be. But, I can do that in spending intentional time in His presence—and He will strengthen me. He is the One who upholds me.

I lie down and sleep. I awake—for Adonai sustains me.  

—Psalm 3:6

I will lie down and sleep in shalom. For You alone, Adonai, make me live securely.   

—Psalm 4:9

And then, in these last few months, as I've been busy with life, I noticed I began to resent some of the things given to me or some of the things I've been tasked with, because I don't have time. I had to repent of that resentment because God is the One who equips me and He has given me His Word to rely on. Over the last few months, as I've been reading His Word, I didn't realize until now that He has indeed given me strength in His Word: “But as for you, brothers, do not grow weary of doing good” (2 Thessalonians 3:13, TLV). And another verse: “He gives strength to the weary, and to one without vigor He adds might” (Isaiah 40:29, TLV). And one more: “He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for His Name's sake” (Psalm 23:3, TLV). 

Shortly after I gave the “busy-ness” of my life to the Lord, I had a renewed sense of purpose, that all I'm doing, I'm doing for Him, first and only (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:31), and I was encouraged by what Paul's exhortation: “For the one who sows in the flesh will reap corruption from the flesh. But the one who sows in the Ruach will reap from the Ruach eternal life. So let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have an opportunity, let us do good toward all—especially those who belong to the household of faith” (vv. 8–10). If He wants me to serve, I'll serve; if He wants me to pursue a passion, I'll pursue it; if He wants me in this ministry and that ministry, I'll go; if He wants me to freelance, I'll freelance. I found that when I trust Him and His Word and His promises, not only is my life more full because I'm giving Him my time and I'm using and spending it wisely, but there's a joy that comes with using the 24 hours I've been given. Friends, there's ample time for all that God has for you. I challenge you: Take time off of your phone and spend your time elsewhere, whether that's more time with God or with the people that surround you, and take time away from the distracting technology.

Anything and everything I am tasked with, I am also capable of doing because my gifts, abilities, and talents are from God and in God. And, if I find I'm not as capable in something as I thought, well, He is—and that is enough. That is something I can trust. I can trust in His promises and believe that if He promises strength, He will deliver and follow through on His promises. If He promises rest, He'll provide that rest I need. And, interestingly, I've found that when I have this perspective, I have plenty of time to do the things that need to be done, as well as spending time with Him, intentionally seeking Him and His presence. 

He is the One who gave me time; He's the One who created time for us, but He wants us to use it for His glory.

And well, He's got my time. He's got all of it because He has gifted me with it, and I trust that there's enough time to do the things He wants me to do and there's enough time in my entire life to be used for His purposes, to be used the way He intended to use me in this time.

He sees my life entirely and has determined how I can use these 24 hours for Him, without feeling stressed or overwhelmed, and that I can use it intentionally, purposefully, and have fulfillment and joy, because He is my Source. He is the giver of time and the He is the One who sustains me as He uses me in this time He's given me. And that's enough for me. I pray it's enough for you, too.

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Moreover, He has set eternity in their heart ... . Also when anyone eats and drinks, and finds satisfaction in all of his labor, it is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever. There is no adding or taking from it. God has made it so, that they will revere Him.” —Ecclesiastes 3:11, 13–14, TLV