Q. At the beginning of each year I think about the past year
and make plans for the New Year. I intend to make better use of my time. Each
year I plan to learn new things, change old habits and get involved in more
worthwhile activities. Instead there’s never enough time or I’m too fearful to
try something new or I’m busy just getting done what must be done. How can I
change? How can I use my time better this year?
A. Many of us struggle with how we
use time, often wishing for more time, often pressured by time. Human beings
are different from any other creatures on this earth. We are aware of time. We are also blessed with
both memory and imagination. We can remember the past and we can imagine our
future. These enable us to live thoughtful and creative lives.
However, our memory and our imagination can
create problems for us. We are influenced by our memories and by negative,
imaginative thoughts of the future. Our memory reminds us of past fears,
worries, guilt, hurts and discouragement. It warns us, “Don’t do that new
thing.” It may say, for example,
“Remember how foolish you felt when you tried something new in second grade and
the class laughed at you.” And so we back away from change because of our
memories.
Memories, conscious and unconscious, may cause
us to be fearful in the future. Many of our fears, worries, and jealousies, are
created by our negative imaginations. And our imagination is often inspired by
our memories. Someone has said that worry about the future is interest paid on
a debt that may never come due. Worry changes nothing and keeps us from
growing.
How do we not worry since the world is
complex and the future unpredictable? We can use our minds, our memories and
our imaginations to remind us that God’s in charge and that his purposes are
good. Relying on God we can then make prayerful conscious choices. We can
remember the past but we don’t have to be bound by the past. With God’s help we
can use our will and determination to set priorities and to move toward
them.
There are only three ways to spend the
present. We can waste it, spend it or invest it. Time wasters include worry, fear, sleeping
more than we need to and busyness that accomplishes little. We also waste time
on petty anger, procrastination, indecision, complaints and pity. These confuse
us and keep us from accomplishing our dreams.
Spending time might be described as
merely existing. Our life has no purpose or direction. We simply do what has to
be done, no more. We sleep, work, eat and little more. Our life is dull and
routine. Most of us have many “chores” and “work” that require our time; these are
necessary routine things we must do. We can do them with a song in our heart
and a prayer on our lips – and then this time brings glory to God.
We invest our time when we know that our
life has purpose and meaning beyond our own self-interest. We invest our time
when we do something which touches the lives of those around us, when we offer
a smile, a helping hand or a kind word. We invest our time when we help a
worthy cause. We invest our time when we pray and when we worship God.
To make changes this year learn to live
in the present. Learn to make conscious choices about your priorities in life
and then take small steps each day to pursue your God given dreams. The more
time you spend in His Presence the easier it will be to live in the present and
to be intentional. Someone has said, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a
mystery. Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.”
“You
will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in
Your right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11 NASB
Blessings, Dottie
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