Can you believe that 2021 is almost over? I dare say that most of us have asked that question recently. Thanksgiving came and went and Christmas is right around the corner. It seems like it went by like a blur. Maybe because I’m getting older or maybe because I’m always busy, my perception of time appears to be going by faster and faster. “Where does the time go?” I always seem to wonder. There just isn’t enough time in the day.
Yesterday, near the end of the day, our school’s guidance counselor came into our 6th grade class to plant the seed about their future after high school. He created a discussion about all of their potential options after they graduate. College, trade school, and the military were just a few of the answers they came up with. After going into some more details about all of the choices mentioned, he then asked them what they thought was one of the most valuable things in life. While the students threw out a variety of answers, one particular student said time. I immediately thought of one of my favorite movies, “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.” I’m sure that most of you are familiar with the classic Lord of the Rings Trilogy. A young hobbit named Frodo Baggins was chosen to travel to Mordor to destroy the One Ring before the Dark Lord Sauron could get his hands on it. Filled with much doubt and despair, Frodo questions his calling and wishes he was never chosen. Gandalf the Wizard then delivers one of the best lines in the whole movie, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”
The truth is that God has given us all a limited time here on earth. The big question is what are we doing with it? As believers in Christ, are we spending it in the most productive ways? Are we getting caught up in the affairs of this world? Are we fulfilling God’s calling in our lives? Consider the words of Paul:
Ephesians 5:15-17
So, then, be careful how you live. Do not be unwise but wise, making the best use of your time because the times are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Paul is an excellent example of how to handle time. He experienced quite a life for Christ after his encounter with Jesus. Three missionary journeys, imprisonment, being shipwrecked, and wrote most of the New Testament to name a few things. He understood the truth and what the Lord’s will was in his life. He had his struggles like we all do, but he continued to walk in God’s wisdom.
Now, our time may all look different from one another’s because God has a unique calling on all of our lives. The dynamics will vary based on our situations, but walking in the Lord’s will will help us become wise and make the best use of our time.
As we see in the world around us today, times are more evil than ever. Revelation has come to life. Time will pull us in all types of directions, some necessary and good and some not so much. As long as we continue to walk in God’s will for our lives, however, it’ll be time well spent!
Wayne Errig