Children of Light

Authored by Samuel Kuehn

Many times in my walk with God I have struggled to wholly dedicate my time to Him and align my plans with what He has laid out for me in His word, and I believe much of that can be attributed to being immersed in a busybody culture. Everything and everyone around seems to be moving so swiftly that I feel the need to do the same. When matching pace with others or always being focused on one thing or another, for the sake of productivity, achievement, entertainment, or simply occupying time, it can be easy to lose sight of how God has commanded us as Christians to work. Practically, how do we begin to understand what good Christian work looks like?

One of the most surefire verses to turn to that can aid in understanding how God wants us to manage our time and efforts is Colossians 3:23-24. It says “23Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, 24knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ.” The Word is very clear-cut and understandable here; Christians should honor God in whatever they do. We as Christians should know that we are called to imitate Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1, “1Imitate me as I also imitate Christ”) and to “5…make every effort to supplement [their] faith…8in increasing measure…” (1 Peter 1:5-8), but also that we are inherently sinful and are constantly fighting against our own flesh. As such, the task commanded in Colossians is a gargantuan undertaking. Because of the intensity of the command laid out in this verse, any Christian should be intimidated. Every area of life and everything we do is to be done for the Lord because we serve the Lord Christ, but obeying this verse and putting it into practice is near-impossible because of sinful nature. How can this verse be applied practically and most effectively in the lives of believers?

Day to day:

First, enacting day to day strategies for ensuring everything is done for the Lord can be difficult. At times it can feel invasive to one’s schedule, or it can be easily forgettable. It doesn’t matter if it is your first time implementing something into your schedule or your hundredth, it takes a while to establish a habit. One of the best ways to manage your time for the Lord in the day to day is to place reminders in places you frequent, and this could be in the physical or digital space! Devotionals, Scripture reading, accountability/discipleship talks, and prayer are all good things to build into daily schedules, especially appended to the beginnings or ends of days. King David was fervent in prayer, openly writing in his books in Scripture about his successes and failures, surrounded by prayers of thanksgiving and repentance (not to mention the many Psalms). Both in 1 Samuel 13:14 and reaffirmed by Paul in Acts 13:22, David was a man after God’s own heart, confirming that his character is commendable and his habits divinely approved. He also reflects in the Word and delights in it (Psalms 119:2-3, 47-48). Another great example of effective prayer is Abraham, much earlier in the Bible all throughout Genesis. The most notable times include inquiry about his descendants (Genesis 15:2-6), debating with God about Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:22-33), and for resolving a tense situation with Sarah and Abimelech (Genesis 20:17-18).

As an example of a practical application, I have my schedule set up so I wake up first thing and read a simple two chapters of whatever book of the Bible I am currently in, pray, then begin my day. I do my best to not be on my phone first thing, and the same is true for the end of the day where I do a devotional, update my friends on my feelings and spiritual health from throughout the day, then pray and go to bed. Starting and ending your day with the Lord is a phenomenal way to keep Him in mind throughout the day and subconsciously while sleeping. This is important because the morning and the evening ‘frame’ your day, and setting yourself up for success in this way opens habitual pathways in your mind to look for the Lord in everything you do throughout the day, including spontaneous prayer and spiritual mindfulness.

Allowing yourself leniency is important, too. Setting overly rigorous and strict expectations can lead to discouragement when not met, and this often leads to dropping the effort because of failure. Be strong! We as Christians have the Holy Spirit in us, and beating ourselves up over failure to adhere is not a good outcome, even if well-intentioned. We needn’t be hosts for self-pity, but healthy piety. We need to understand that we are imperfect creatures doing our best to hold ourselves to His perfect standard in the grand effort of being Christlike, so forgetfulness happens, schedule gaps will occur, implemented systems are not perfect, and time does run out in a day. Luckily, the Lord looks at the heart and doesn’t forget us, invented our timeline (and exists sovereignly outside of it), and has implemented a perfect system for our salvation and forgiveness. Relying on Him in everything will enable us to do everything for Him.

Relationally:

Secondly, there is a reason the Bible likens the tongue to a fire (James 3:5-12). In all of our speech, words, ideas, intentions, and beliefs; they spread like nothing else. So, managing time well should also be heavily applied to our conversations and how we represent the Lord in every interaction. Small talk has killed meaningful and significant connection with others because in such a busy world, that seems to be all anyone has time for. Small talk certainly has its place, but there are so many more meaningful things to talk about other than weather if you have any amount of time with someone. The only exception is if you are a meteorologist, or can connect weather to God’s sovereignty and creativity. Or both.

Praying for opportunities to evangelize or have meaningful conversations is not very useful if you do not act on those opportunities when they arise. (Matthew 28:16-20)

For a friend or someone you know, immediately relating their circumstances to their faith and how they are handling things spiritually is a great way to stay on topic while still dedicating the time to the Lord. (Hebrews 10:24-25, Ephesians 5:15-17) Offering to pray for them is also fantastic. (John 17:20-26)

For a stranger at the checkout, simply being interested in their lives in the short time you have and concluding with ‘God bless’ or some such line is a great way to dedicate that time to the Lord, as well as representing His character well and planting a seed in that person’s life. (Ephesians 2:10)

Building Godly relationships with other Christians is not hard at all either, because there is so much foundational commonality that has already been established by your mutual faith. Discipleship, whether you have taken someone under your wing or you yourself are being discipled, is the one of the best ways to get close with someone in a way that honors God. It doesn’t have to be intense study, either. Getting lunch or breakfast and talking about spiritual health or happenings in your church is just as constructive and honoring to the Lord, and a great framework for keeping conversation Godly. Having an accountability partner or group is another great way to honor God relationally, especially because they can help you in other areas of dedicating time to the Lord. (John 13:34-35, 2 Timothy 2:1-2)

Long term:

Finally, the Bible has much to say about God’s ultimate plan and how His hand is in every moment, orchestrating everything beautifully.

Mastering time management as a Christian must take into account how God’s plan is absolute and complete, and our plans are not. Proverbs 21:1 says that 1A king’s heart is like channeled water in the Lord’s hand: He directs it wherever He chooses. Other verses in Proverbs mention making plans as well, including but not limited to Proverbs 19:21 and Proverbs 21:5. Other notable verses include James 4:13-15. What a careful observer will notice about these verses is that they don’t all directly support or condemn making plans in light of futility or assurance, but they do all place the focus on the Lord. Going deeper, Ecclesiastes 11 talks about not counting on things in the future because the future is not determined and unsure, while Luke 14:28-31 talks about how making plans for the future is wise, and even likens following Jesus Christ to making proper plans for one’s goals. It is up to personal spiritual conviction on whether making plans is wisdom or folly, and it could also depend on the scope of the plan and how consequential it is to someone’s life.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, God’s plan is the only thing that is certain, and only He knows how everything will go. As a Christian, keeping this in mind when living day-to-day, interacting with others, or planning for the future is the best way to manage the time God has given us on this earth, no matter how that looks practically.

“God’s plan is like a beautiful tapestry. And the tragedy of being human is that we only get to see it from the back, with all the ragged threads and the muddy colors, we don’t get a hint at the true beauty that would be revealed if we could see the whole pattern… As God does.”

– Matt Murdock, Daredevil, 2018.