Time Bomb – A Race Against Time
The Need for Speed
We are a generation who wants things done fast. Waiting in line for more than a minute bothers us. We take our phones out and find something to do while we wait. We like everything in an instant. You might think it’s because we hate wasting time – but that’s far from the truth…
We are also a generation who waste the most amount of time. We have grown into a society that focuses so much on entertaining ourselves and making ourselves happy. Where entertainment sits on the throne of our lives – commanding to do what gives us pleasure while we have no time to focus on what is truly important in life.
Time Monster
I used to wake up with my phone in my hand. A day starts and ends with at least an hour of “catching up on notifications”. It sounds like a productive thing to do – but in reality I was primarily wasting time on social media more than anything work related.
Entertainment comes in many forms. Movies and TV series were never a big thing for me; but checking what my social network was up to on Facebook, browsing Instagram, watching Snapchat & YouTube was my form of ‘entertainment’. Aimlessly scrolling for hours – watching videos, memes, jokes and being envious over other’s lives. An average person spends over 2 hours a day on social media alone (excluding TV shows, movies and other video content we consume)! Imagine what that adds up to in a lifetime.
2 hours * 7 days * 52 weeks * 75 years (average life expectancy in Europe) = 54,000 hours = 5.98 years!
The “work” deception
It’s not only entertainment. For others, including me, “earning money” consumed the rest of my time.
Wait, what?
Hear me out. I’ll explain.
It usually goes something like this: “If I make X more this month, that brings me Y amount closer to getting Z in my life.” Ever been in that situation?
We all need to work, earn & be productive. If we are unwilling to work, we shall not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). What I really mean is “wealth building”. Where we work constantly to make more that it fully consumes us. I work hard in everything I do and so should you. Nothing wrong in working hard and being faithful to what we work for. Having said that, I have had times where I faced the line where my ‘extra work’ & busyness takes #1 priority. Pushing every other priority down – God, family & people in our lives.
Have you ever been too busy for God? I know I’ve been.
If the devil cannot make you bad, he will make you busy.
This busyness can also be in the form of “working for God”. We can sometimes become busy doing things for God that we could lose sight of Him. Jesus told Martha when she was running around doing preparation for Him: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
What did Mary do? She just sat at Jesus’ feet listening to Him first (Luke 10:39). I’ve been like Martha. Doing things “for God” but without Him. Everything we do with mere human effort is in vain if Christ isn’t there. Even in work for His kingdom, we shouldn’t prioritise “things to do” over Him. We must labour with God and not on our own efforts.
Don’t take a break!?
You’re probably thinking should we never relax or take a break? Isn’t that “wasting time”? No, that’s far from my point. We need to take rest. God wants us to have rest.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Jesus spent much of His time surrounded by crowds, with barely enough time to catch His breath. Events happened quickly, one after the other. He went from preaching in a synagogue to casting out a demon, healing a sick friend to ministering to the whole city gathered at His door at sundown. All in just one day! (Mark 1:21-34) In midst of all the events Jesus was never hurried even when He was surrounded by people with urgent needs. Jesus was at rest. He did everything by constantly listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus doesn’t just offer rest. He shows us how to do it. It is necessity, not a luxury. Rest physically & mentally. Jesus rested and spent time with others in fellowship – He basically “hung out” with people. Jesus and His disciples went on adventures – kinda (Mark 6:31-32). Jesus spent much time eating and drinking with people that people called Him a glutenous drunkard man (Matthew 11:19). Regardless of His resting, Jesus could also get up early in the morning, withdraw to a solitary place to spend time with God on His own. During His time Jesus knew His priorities. Always approved by God.
There are many examples in the Bible where God told His people to rest or promised to provide rest. He even commanded us to take rest on the Sabbath day like He rested after creation. God set us an example to follow for resting. Besides, God has made us in a way that we need to sleep – every single day.
God wants us to rest; but not waste time. What’s the difference? It’s a fine line that’s different for each person. That’s for you to figure out for your life.
I know how some things can be productive and also a time waster. Take Facebook for example. At times it’s the most productive tool I use to organise, coordinate and use it for work. The same tool at times becomes a distraction and a “time monster”.
Another example: I love outdoor adventures and hanging out with friends. It’s a great time to bond with friends, have fellowship and its just a great time. It’s takes a whole day or half a day. Nothing wrong in that. Except when it changes my priority list of what is important to me on that day. Do I neglect my responsibilities, family and God?
There is no magic formula to know if something is a waste of time. It’s personal. It’s between you and God – a daily priority list that’s approved by God. So don’t go judging others because something is a waste of time for you. It mightn’t be for them. There’s nothing wrong with entertainment – if positioned appropriately in our priority list. There’s nothing wrong with working hard – given that it does not consume our lives & change our priorities.
Counting Time = Wisdom
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
What does it mean to number our days? You and I have a limited amount of time on earth. How do we spend them?
I love the way how that verse links time with wisdom! You gain wisdom if we learn to number our days – keeping track of time! Wow!
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Ephesians 5:15-17
Another verse that links how we live, spend our time & opportunities to being wise. Notice how it also links to understanding the Lord’s will! This is how Jesus lived – understanding the Lord’s will. It is the foolish who do not understand God’s will and it is the unwise who are careless of how they live and don’t make the most of their opportunities.
Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That!
Would you ever throw away a diamond? Especially if that was gifted to you. Something you didn’t work for but received for free. Would you throw it away?
I hope not; but this is what we do with our time. We don’t value time. Not even the same way we value earthly wealth. Time is more precious than anything you have. Something that money can’t buy. You can buy back a diamond you’ve lost but never time lost.
Time is a gift from God. Everyone on this earth has the same amount if time regardless of talent, wealth and health. How we use it determines what we become.
We don’t have unlimited time. We have a short period on earth and none of us know how long we have remaining. James 4:14 puts our time into perspective:
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
James 4:14
What is our life? We are just a mist that quickly vanishes. Ouch!
Are our priorities focused on what truly matters in life or do we choose to waste time to please our desires? How high is God in our everyday priority list?
What we do with our lifetime depends on what you do every hour. Hours add up to days, days to weeks, weeks to months, months to years and your years add up to your lifetime!
How would you spend today if this was your last day on earth? I’d love to say one day that “I wouldn’t change a thing”. #goals
