Meaningful time
At one stage I watched movies so often it seemed I was afraid they would go out of fashion. Any movie. Didn’t matter how old or how bad, every evening found me in front of the TV. And my problem was I couldn’t stop halfway. And by the time the movie actually ended I was so upset with myself for wasting so much time. I always woke up tired the next day, operating on three pistons only for the whole day. Fortunately, I outgrew the habit and nowadays the TV sees very little of me.
Sometimes there are things that steal your time and energy. Things that do not actually add value to your life. Some people are pulled in by social networks. They spend hours on Facebook or Instagram or Pinterest. The question is whether this is meaningful. Social networks per se aren’t bad, but when it steals your time and prevents you from making a difference in someone else’s life, the question marks pop up one after the other.
We allow many other things to steal our time and that is not within God’s will. This is a piece of good advice: 15 Wake up from your sleep, climb out of your coffins; Christ will show you the light!
You must know that you being on earth has a purpose. It’s no coincidence that you are where you are. God puts us somewhere to do something – to make a difference. When you do something for someone else, when something you do adds value to someone else’s life, our lives become meaningful. Then it makes sense that the energy we leave in a certain place at a certain time will change peoples’ lives.
When the world around us puts pressure on us, when the country is in a mess and the people I come into contact with mess things up, I also don’t feel so good. Then I join the others in complaining. Hope rushes out the door. All is dark around me and I no longer see the sun shining. Then I want to start cutting myself.
At times like these I need someone to help me, to encourage me and push me in the right direction. And this may be a little piece of advice for you and me: 16So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!
Difficult times is a given. Suffering will be around us always. What will you do? Are you going to allow circumstances to determine how you feel or are you going to face circumstances head on?
Carpe diem. Seize the day. We simply cannot allow circumstances to steal our energy and time. We’ll have to make a couple of adjustments in our minds and realize that God has given each of us talents to make a difference and we have to make plans to use these talents in the world.
We must know that there are many things that want to steal our time, and we must be on our guard against them. Even if circumstances are very bad, even if it seems to us as if we can add no value, we must still try to make a difference. Everything we do we must do meaningfully. Let’s do what we think God wants us to do. Then we’ll use our time meaningfully and we and others will be different!
Reflection
Do you know how God wants you to live?
Where does your life lack meaning?
Where can you use your time better?
Prayer
Jesus, how great is your Name. You showed us not to waste time. You showed us how to walk the road meaningfully at all times, even though circumstances are not so good. I know there are times when I waste time. Please help me not to step into the hole, but to use my time meaningfully with you. Amen
