We’re on the downhill slope of summer break. It will be time to head back to school before you know it. That means we just have two chapters left in our Summer Book Club pick, This Changes Everything by Jaquelle Crowe. Where has the time gone? Speaking of time, this week we dug into Chapter 7: Our Time. Check out this quick video update below, and then keep reading for some thoughts from this chapter on how the gospel impacts the way we use our time.
Five Ways to Waste Your Time
In this chapter, Jaquelle drags a magnifying glass over five ways we often waste the limited time God has given us. Here’s a snapshot.
1. We waste time when we don’t do the things we should do.
But our time should be spent trying to bear God’s image and live His Word.
You ready for this? The stakes for your time management are about to go way up.
So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin (James 4:17).
According to this passage, sin isn’t simply avoiding the things God’s Word calls us to avoid, it’s also failing to do the things God’s Word calls us to do. Because we are sinful and broken we will never follow God’s law perfectly, but our time should be spent trying to bear God’s image and live His Word. Here’s one place to start: Are you reading God’s Word daily?
2. We waste time when we abuse media.
'Fraid we all know this is true. Wasting hours using media is normal. But since the purpose of our life is to glorify God, we need to stop clicking and consider that our chronic wasted time adds up to a serious pile of missed opportunities to grow in Christ and minister to others.
3. We waste time when we’re busy with the wrong things for the wrong reasons.
Jaquelle asks these probing questions:
- What are you doing today that is not worthwhile in light of eternity?
- Are you missing opportunities?
- Are you wasting good works?
- What can you change?
4. We waste time when we avoid our problems.
Here’s an important PSA from this chapter:
Our lives are a part of something much bigger and more important that just us. Escaping our problems temporarily through busyness is only delaying the inevitable; we still have to deal with life. Problems don’t get fixed by ignoring them. Putting them off ultimately does more harm than good—all it does is waste time and burden us with stress.
Is there something you are wasting a lot of time trying to avoid?
5. We waste time when we don’t rest.
This one feels a little hard to grasp. Finding the sweet spot between laziness/wasted time and intentional/God-approved rest can feel like a moving target. I’d encourage you to do some reading up in God’s Word on the concept of sabbath for clarity. Here are some passages to get you started:
Would you take a moment right now and ask the Lord to show you areas where you are wasting time? Ask for His help to use your time more fruitfully and to better understand how to use your time to bring Him glory. Be sure to hop back on the blog next Monday for another Summer Book Club update. Bethany will be walking through Chapter 8 with us on how the gospel impacts our relationships. See you then!