Practical Tools For Making Time

Practical Tools for Making Time

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity.

Ephesians 5:15-16

I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING that pays greater dividends than investing time in your marriage. It will affect your physical, mental, and spiritual health and the health of your spouse and children. It will also bring glory to the God who instituted marriage. In the past few days, we’ve been talking about setting goals and making time for each other. I want to suggest two more things that will help you meet those goals: delegating other responsibilities and scheduling time with your spouse.

When you consider delegating responsibilities, start with your children. How about making them responsible for washing dishes, clothes, and dogs? Or, if it’s financially feasible, you can hire a neighborhood teen to mow your lawn or vacuum the carpet. Whatever you can pass off to others gives you more time to invest in your marriage.

The second suggestion is to reflect your priorities in your schedule. If your goal is to have dinner out at least once a week, do you have it on the calendar? If you don’t schedule things, they are not likely to happen. I encourage you to sit down together with your calendars and write down all the times you plan to spend together, big and small. When you write your spouse into your schedule, you communicate that he or she is important to you. You are making the most of every opportunity, as the Scriptures suggest, and you’re on the road to overcoming the barrier of time.

Father, thanks for these ideas that will help us meet the goals we’ve set for our relationship. Please help me to do my part to keep those goals at the forefront of my mind. My spouse is my highest priority after my relationship with you; please help me to remember that and act on it.

Goals