Nothing To Show For It

Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Nearly 40 percent of people say they feel rushed.^a In a study of time journals, where people wrote down how they actually spent their time, overall leisure time had increased. However, it was usually in smaller increments, so nearly all of the time went into watching TV.^b Television may be the main reason many of us don’t feel like we have any more free time than before because we have nothing tangible to show for it.

One of my seminary professors who had written numerous books was asked one day in class, “Professor, you are so prolific. I know you have a family, you teach here, and you are in the pastorate. How in the world do you find time to write?”

He explained that he used the time most people waste. Most meetings happen between seven and nine, and most family activities are between six and nine. It was the time between nine and midnight that he made use of. Then he added, “And I don’t have a TV.”

Productive people make use of every spare minute: Time spent waiting for a child can be used for reading a devotional or catching up on phone calls; time not spent playing video games or watching a movie or TV can be used to pray with a child, prepare the grocery list, clean out a drawer, or, as in the professor’s case, write a book.

The Bible has more than over twenty references to a “moment,” which is just an instant or short piece of time. If a moment is important to God, then it can be important to us.

What can you do to prepare to use those “few minutes” well?