“The great fault of the children of God is that they do not continue in prayer, they do not go on praying, they do not preserve. If they desire anything for GOD’S GLORY, they should pray until they get it.”

– George Muller

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As hard as I tried to avoid being caught up in feelings and emotions from this past election, there were moments when I stumbled. The week of the election, I was very intentional about avoiding the screaming media, and I’m thankful for that resolution, because when I did take in unavoidable information, my body would become tense and my thoughts would begin to race. It was hard to refocus on the better things happening in my life.

As I reflect on that week, I am reminded of Ephesians 5:16, where Paul tells us to make the best use of time. I wonder, Am I making the best use of my time?

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When my emotions are heightened and my initial desire is to ‘act’ on my bitter, hateful, and evil thoughts, following my heart is the equivalent of choosing sin. If I continue in those thoughts and refuse to give them over to Christ, I am driving a wedge between myself and God, and in doing so, I am actually destroying my soul, moment by moment. 

That raises the question: Why would I choose a sinful state outside of God’s presence? The answer: In the moment it ‘feels’ good to be bitter and hateful. There is something satisfying about stewing in those negative emotions, even if they very quickly turn to pain.

But bitterness and hatred are poison for your soil, and God certainly wants better things for us. When we try to grasp those better things (and make better use of our time) by our own strength, however, we are sure to be frustrated. God’s best gifts can only be experienced through Him! You are a soul made BY God, FOR God. As such, you NEED God. You were not made to be self- sufficient. The better things God wants for us flow from being close to Him.

Ephesians 5:17, the verse that follows Paul’s instruction to “redeem the time” says, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

I can only stay close to God when I understand His will, and I can only understand His will when I KNOW His Word. That comes from actually getting still and reading and meditating and striving to comprehend and apply His word. It comes from drawing near to our Heavenly Father. That’s where true peace and confidence are found. If I take God at His Word, I decide that my life is no longer mine. I live for something bigger than me, and I trust God to always do what is right. That mindset is a choice that (unfortunately) does not come naturally.

I am not exactly what you would call a gentle person. I have strong opinions and I like to get things done. In light of that, each day I have a choice: I can choose to do things my way, (i.e. forcefully, harshly, abruptly) or I can choose to do things God’s way (i.e. by Grace). Of course, I never consciously choose to do things apart from God, but I make the choice when I choose how to spend my time. 

If I choose to be present with God, He softens my heart . He changes my priorities by reminding me that I was created for Him and I am tasked with pointing others to Him. That’s my highest priority today. I only remember that when I am close to him, so I choose how I walk through the day when I choose whether to spend time with Jesus.

When I don’t have time for Him, I inevitably become tangled up in the externals, (such as the election), and peace evaporates. My emotions become untethered. My heart becomes fearful. 

So, back to the question from Ephesians 5:16: Am I making the best use of my time? The only way to answer yes is to center your life around the God who created you. When your life flows from Him, you are truly able to redeem your time for eternity.

“In You, Lord my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, not let my enemies triumph over me…Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” (Psalm 25:1-2, 4-6)

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SOME HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD:

• When you go to bed at night, open your Bible app and have it read God’s Word to you as you fall asleep.
• When you wake up thank God for waking you up with His breath and praise Him. 
• In the car, open your Bible app and have it read God’s Word to you as you drive, yes, especially with your kids in the car.
• At home, read together as a family and discuss the passages you read. Allow others to share what they think and why. 
• At mealtime, ask how one another’s day is going and where they see God working in their life.
• Pray God’s prayers in the Bible if you’re unsure what to pray.
  

REFLECT:

With intention, write in your journal 2 or 3 ways you can practically redeem the finite gift of time the Lord has given you, taking poorly spent minutes or hours and transforming them into spiritual riches.

Plan to share one of these “time redeeming strategies” with your Accountability Group!