What To Do When There’s Never Enough Time
Lauren Ayers
Time is precious but incredibly fleeting.
Most days I beg for more of it, as my to-do-list seems to be a separate beast that is taunting me. If only I had more time, I could finish that book, enjoy that hobby, read more of my Bible, clean my house better, or spend more time with family. I am busy. You are busy. We live in a time of business that can feel as though we are drowning in a sea of deadlines.
I was reading with my daughter from her children’s Bible this past week, and Jesus spoke to me right about to this very issue I thought I was reading the story for her, but Jesus had something to remind me.
In Luke 10, Jesus visits Mary and Martha. Martha is running around like crazy trying to make sure everything is perfect. Mary, in contrast, is sitting at Jesus’ feet listening intently to her teacher. Jesus tells Martha, “You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed — indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42).
Reading that line, I felt the Lord whisper, “Dear child, you are Martha.”
I spend most of my day busy with things that don’t eternally matter. They aren’t bad things, but somewhere along the way deadlines became more important than sitting at the feet of Jesus. The Bible tells us our days are numbered. We are created with a purpose, and we get a set amount of time to live it out on this earth. So, how can we better manage this precious gift?
3 Ways To Make The Most of Your Time
1. Designate your time.
If we try to fit in time with Jesus after we finish everything else, it’s not going to happen. We have to set aside time to read our Bibles and spend with Jesus. Jesus told Martha there was only one necessity, and that was spending time with Him. Designate this time first.
2. Be watchful.
In 1 Peter 5:8, Peter writes, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
We have a real enemy that is looking to destroy us. Satan succeeds when he makes us too busy with earthly things that we lose sight of our Savior. Is there anything in your life that has more focus on it than Jesus?
3. Do everything for God’s glory.
Of course, it would be great if we could eliminate all of the deadlines in life, but we can’t. Cooking, cleaning, tasks and bills are a part of our world. These things have to be done, but we can honor Jesus right in the middle of them. Colossians 3:17 teaches whatever we do, we do it in Jesus’ name — even in the mundane tasks of life.