God doesn’t only possess the peerless power to jumpstart worn clocks everywhere, biological or otherwise. The One who never changes (Hebrews 13:8) can also override any limitations to ensure that His purpose for us will transpire.
The year is 25% over.
I didn’t arrive at this figure by intentionally calculating anything. But since I read a daily devotional in the form of an e-book, the gadget displays my progress and determines that I’ve completed 25% of the book.
Which shows that a quarter of the year is also done.
Not sure if you can relate, but for me, time has behaved like a blurry blob since COVID happened. Days used to look different from one another, but when the pandemic—and accompanying lockdown—happened, every day seemed like a repeat of the day before.
It’s hard to remember if an encounter happened two days ago or three.
Perhaps this change makes sense. Pre-COVID, we used to be a lot more active, with places to visit and different activities to accomplish. These varieties help tag the experience as unique in our memories.
In contrast, we can now sit at home—even while working—and repeat the same motion.
For entire weeks and months.
Speaking of which, have you noticed how fast time flies? I still have fresh memories of submitting a piece on praying for this new year, and now, the year is no longer that new.
When time feels blurry and zips by in a hurry, however, it’s easy to believe in certain lies, so, watch out for these three:
1. Preoccupied with What’s Pressing
The mundaneness of every day can lull us into believing there’s nothing more urgent to do with our time. It’s easy to focus only on what’s directly ahead—bills to pay, a job to keep, staying afloat—because these days, to make it through another day feels like a success. Forget doing anything extra.
But what about our God-given calling?
No matter who you are, God has tucked within you dreams and desires that only you can carry out. That means whether you’re a Gen Z or entering your golden years, whether you have an organization to lead or little munchkins to feed, you have a significant purpose.
One day, everyone will stand before God’s judgment seat (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10) and give an account for how we’ve utilized time. This means we will one day hear the Father asks, “What did you do with the dream I’ve placed in you?”
The answer depends squarely on us. It’s not just because God has given us the freedom to choose His will (or not) but also because not everyone is aware of how rapidly life evaporates. It’s easy to squander time on inconsequential, silly stuff.
David, under divine inspiration, wrote the antidote in one of his Psalms: “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure” (Psalm 39:4-5, NKJV).
Focusing on death—especially our own—can feel morbid. But in the interest of allocating our time wisely, how about if we borrow David’s courage and ask likewise? Let’s at least ask God to show us how fleeting life truly is as we strive to accomplish the dreams He has entrusted us.
But if you’re unsure how to tell whether your desires come from Him, browse this article first.
2. Unlimited Time
Letting time skitter away mindlessly carries another risk. It may hypnotize us into assuming life will always be the same—as though we could spend eternity here. On earth.
The thing is, intellectual knowledge of this information—without being intentional about what to do about it—won’t impact a single thing.
No wonder Moses wrote, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Millennia later, acquiring that heart of wisdom is still a vital need.
Consider the following questions—and how much wisdom is required to reach the answers:
-How will you utilize the rest of the year, particularly concerning the calling God has bequeathed you?
-Do you need to implement a course correction?
-What about human resources? God-given dreams can likely be fulfilled only with the help of others, making it imperative to be joined with the right people. But are you in touch with these individuals?
-The above point elicits another question. Do you attend the right church? For various reasons, a “no” can steer you further away from God’s design for you.
3. Never Happening
Ask anyone who has invested time and effort in striving for their dream, and if it’s still elusive, you’ll likely hear a sigh. “Will I ever __?” Fill in the blank with your dream: Marry. Conceive. Own a house. All of the above.
That’s why every couple years or so, I post the following sentiment on social media: “Just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it never will.” I deliberately craft the statement to sound somewhat vague so each reader can substitute the “it” there with what fits.
I admit, this is one of my more popular memes. I wonder if that’s because the post contains a blend of discouragement—by acknowledging that a longstanding desire is still to be fulfilled—with a hint of hope.
But is it true that there’s hope for any unfulfilled dream? I can almost hear an objection. Maybe singles can keep hoping for marriage no matter how old they get, but not so with carrying a child. At some point, the biological clock simply quits, right?
Science says so, yes.
But if your dream of conceiving a baby is from God, nothing can stop you from holding that baby.
Not even your age.
Doubtful? Just ask two elderly women, each pining for her own baby.
Sarah—Abraham’s wife—held a dishonorable, lifelong status of being barren before conceiving her only son at 90 (Genesis 17:17).
As for Elizabeth, by the time she conceived John the Baptist, the Bible doesn’t just call her old. Luke, the narrator, whispers that she’s “very old” (Luke 1:7).
What is it with God and geriatric pregnancies—literally?
Perhaps their miracles are recorded in God’s eternal canon to assure us that in His Book, there’s no such thing as too late.
God doesn’t only possess the peerless power to jumpstart worn clocks everywhere, biological or otherwise. The One who never changes (Hebrews 13:8) can also override any limitations to ensure that His purpose for us will transpire.
Wise Time Managers
Oil. Natural gas. Coal. Nuclear power.
To this list, I’d like to add time—perhaps the ultimate nonrenewable resource.
This commodity is too precious for us to breeze through the rest of the article without discussing how we can better steward our time.
Which is why I’d like to end with verses and prayers.
- When it’s challenging to look beyond what’s ahead:
Lord, help me to focus on the unseen things, for “the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
-When you assume plenty of time is available:
Please help me not nosedive into depression, but Lord, help me honor the truth of Psalm 103:15: “As for mortals, their days are like grass; they flourish like a flower of the field” (NRSV).
-When you’re tempted to abandon waiting on God:
According to Joshua 23:14, “Every promise [to Israel] has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” Based on this, I expect that You will also fulfill Your promises to me. But please pinpoint anything I’ve been yearning for that didn’t originate from Your heart. Help me release those desires and wait for You to actualize my God-given dreams.
In Jesus’ Mighty Name, amen.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Doucefleur
