“The LORD … He will be the sure foundation of your times … ” (Isaiah 33:5-6).
“Do you love life?” asked the venerable Ben Franklin more than 200 years ago. “Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of!” And who would question what the wise old Ben Franklin said? Regardless of the inequities in life, when it comes to the use of our time, we are all absolutely equal. Genius or idiot, gifted or neglected, wise or foolish, rich or poor, when it comes to time, we all have exactly the same amount—24 hours per day for every person. Yet, when it comes to the use of our time, it becomes readily apparent there are vast differences in how we handle it.
Interested in knowing how to get more out of the hours that you do have? Then today’s Guideline is just for you. If you are a Christian and acknowledge that your life really belongs to God, it can only follow that your time also belongs to Him—something very few people ever give much thought to. So, before you even begin to plan your day, you need to consult with your Heavenly Father. For years I’ve made it a practice to begin every day saying, “Lord, what are we going to do today? Let’s walk together. I need your guidance. You know what’s going to happen today. Help me to make this day really count.” Right then, I give the day back to Him who first gave it to me.
A lot of people never stop to consult their Heavenly Father on the use of their time, never considering the fact that God does have a will when it comes to the very important area of our time. Now, this brings us to our first guideline.
Guideline #1: Be definite in how you plan the use of time. For years I have worked with a simple plan that I picked up from a friend many years ago. At the beginning of every week, I make a list of the most important items which need to be done, and then I systematically set out to accomplish the most pressing need, ignoring the task that I would like to work on most.
Every morning, I consider that list and I tackle the most pressing item. Simple? Of course, but believe me, it has proved itself year in and year out when it comes to accomplishing your goals.
Guideline #2: Be definite but flexible in your plan. Remember, I said, at the beginning of the day, I give it back to the Lord? So, what does this accomplish? Simply put, your day doesn’t belong to you, it belongs to Him. It is His concern when your plans go awry and you face interruptions which you didn’t anticipate—people walk in whom you didn’t expect, telephone calls take your time, traffic gets tied up—you sit there.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,” said the Psalmist, (Psalm 37:23, KJV) and I have never been able to forget the words of George Mueller, who added, “Yes, and so are the stops of a good man!” When someone walks into my office whom I hadn’t expected, I have learned to say, “Lord, you sent that person, not to take up my time, but to give me the privilege of ministering to the needs of that person, helping this one.” Interruptions become appointments. It changes your attitude—see how it will take the pressure off of you.
Then, Guideline #3: Be dependent upon your Heavenly Father when it comes to the use of time. Most of us, myself included, plan more than we can ever accomplish—the end result is frustration. When doors close, we yell and scream and even get more frustrated. Realize that God allowed that door to close, perhaps to show you His great strength, perhaps to teach you patience, perhaps to keep you from doing something you would have done otherwise. Believe me, His way is always best.
Resource reading: Psalm 90.
